The programme is a joint effort of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s Central Committee, and the Vietnam Red Cross Society, with an agreement signed the same day.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that in many areas across the country, children are facing poor living and studying conditions.

He hoped that the community will join hands to take care of children, stressing that the programme is expected to have the engagement of Party organisations, administrations in localities, organisations and businesses, thus providing poor students with nutritious meals and stable schools with playgrounds and hygienic toilets.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Ngo Thi Minh asked the education and training sectors in localities to advise local administrations on exploring the demands of students and teachers to update the requests to the national humanity portal, while coordinating with relevant agencies to organise effective volunteer activities.

Donors can respond to the programme through the national humanity portal at https://inhandao.vn/dieu-uoc-cho-em.

Currently, nearly 2,000 schools in 39 cities and provinces have registered to receive support in the portal, while 5,000 schools have given their specific needs.

Many domestic and foreign businesses have committed to supporting the building of schools and toilets, and provide lunch to 30,000 students as well as scholarships to poor students with total value of VND127 billion (US$5.51 million).