Promoting the core role in humanitarian activities

(Baonghean) - Although there are still difficulties in organization, in recent years, the Vinh City Red Cross has promoted its role and innovated its activities to become a "red address" with influence in humanitarian and charitable activities...

Le Loi Ward is one of the units that is well-evaluated for its work of gathering members and mobilizing resources for humanitarian activities, the Red Cross (CTĐ) of Vinh city. Mr. Hoang Quoc Ai - Head of Block 11 of the ward said: The population in the block is mainly retired cadres, 169 households are all members of the CTĐ Association. We have made specific announcements, held open meetings for members to give their opinions and implemented annual mobilization, associated with reward and punishment mechanisms.

Accordingly, each member contributes 15,000 VND/year; the total mobilized budget reaches about 25 million VND/year. Thanks to that, in the past 2 years, the bloc has provided timely support and encouragement to 9 difficult circumstances, typically the situation of Nguyen Thi Hanh, an orphan living alone; Le Thi Hoa and 7 situations of serious illness, disability, and stroke in the bloc.

According to Ms. Dinh Thi Thuy Mai - President of the Red Cross Association of Le Loi Ward, up to now, the Red Cross Association of the ward has gathered 19 affiliated branches (16 blocks, 2 schools and the ward health station) with 127 association groups, 2,250 members, an increase of more than 1,000 members compared to the beginning of the term. Up to now, the branches have implemented the remaining fund well, reaching 3 - 12 million VND/branch; the ward association fund reached 160 million VND.

In the past 5 years, the ward association has organized medical examinations for 607 people, mobilized over 470 million VND, supported nearly 1,200 disadvantaged people in the movements "Tet for the poor", "For Agent Orange victims"; over 100 million VND to support the people of the Western region of the province, supported overcoming the consequences of storms and floods in Hoang Mai town, gave gifts to Dao Mat soldiers... Thanks to that, the association has been recognized by superiors as outstanding for 5 consecutive years, received a Commemorative Medal from the Central Association, and a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Leaders of Vinh City Red Cross Society presented gratitude houses for Mr. Nguyen Van Dong - poor household in hamlet 14 Nghi Lien.

Established early, with difficulties in organization, the force of the Vinh City Red Cross Society is still small, the membership rate is low, only reaching 6.7% of the population, 24.4% of households. Faced with increasingly high task requirements, the thinking and awareness of the Society and Red Cross work are still limited, so it is inevitable that there are difficulties in the process of implementing activities. However, in the past term, with the attention and leadership of all levels and branches, the efforts of cadres, members, youth, teenagers and volunteers have contributed significantly to the comprehensive and solid development of the Red Cross movement, actively contributing to the implementation of the social security policies of the Party and State in the locality.

One of the highlights in the activities of the Vinh City Red Cross Association is to focus on consolidating, building and improving the quality of activities of the association and its members. Mr. Dang Hung - Chairman of the Vinh City Red Cross Association said: The Association has directed the grassroots associations to focus on building the association and branches, and promoting the recruitment of members and Red Cross youth. Thanks to that, at the beginning of the 2011 term, the association only had 420 branches in blocks, hamlets and schools, but now it has 445 branches (an increase of 25 branches); the number of members increased from over 13,000 to 21,000 (an increase of 7,482 members). The quality of the grassroots associations and branches has been gradually improved, the number of excellent grassroots associations increased from 13 to 19/25 grassroots associations (reaching 76%), with 402/445 branches achieving excellence. Typical units that develop members and maintain good activities are the Red Cross Association of Le Loi ward, the Red Cross Association of Nghi Phu commune, the Red Cross Association of Hung Dung ward, and the Red Cross Association of Nghi Lien commune.

Implementing the movement "Tet for the poor"; "For Agent Orange victims", every year, after having a direction plan from the Provincial Association, the Vinh City Red Cross Association has developed a plan to direct grassroots associations to organize fundraising campaigns in agencies, businesses, philanthropists and all union members and people in the area to support and help with the spirit of "Everyone has Tet - Every family can celebrate Tet". From 2011 to now, the City Red Cross Association and grassroots associations have mobilized and supported over 16,420 gifts for 16,420 poor and disadvantaged people, with an amount of over 8.2 billion VND. On each occasion of the traditional Tet, the number of supported beneficiaries increases and the amount of money supported also increases. Those practical actions contribute to easing the pain of the less fortunate in society, arousing the tradition of humanity of the nation, solidarity and closeness in the community.

Leaders of Le Loi Ward People's Committee visited the family of a disabled person in difficult circumstances, Mrs. Tran Thi Long in block 16.

Responding to the Campaign "Each organization and individual is associated with a humanitarian address" of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, over the past 5 years, the Vinh City Red Cross Society has advised and implemented a survey of 750 subjects in need of assistance. Socializing resources reaching billions of VND from agencies, units, philanthropists, Red Cross members and all people have promptly supported and assisted in building 9 gratitude houses and Red Cross houses for subjects who are victims of Agent Orange and poor households in the wards and communes: Le Loi, Hung Dung, Nghi Lien, Hung Chinh, Nghi Kim, Doi Cung, Hung Loc, Trung Do. In addition, the association has organized donations of money, rice, clothes, books, and school supplies to help over 10,000 poor people, Agent Orange victims, orphans, and families affected by storms and floods in Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Ky Son, and Tuong Duong districts, worth tens of millions of VND.

Voluntary blood donation is also a program demonstrating actions and humanitarian gestures that the City Red Cross Association has implemented since 2011, exceeding the set targets every year. The City Red Cross Association has actively coordinated with the Nghe An Provincial Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center, Vinh City Youth Union, and the City Department of Education and Training to promote voluntary blood donation among civil servants, public employees, teachers, union members, youth and all walks of life. Up to now, 8,000 people have registered and donated 6,274 units of blood, equivalent to 3.9 billion VND, contributing to emergency care and treatment for patients.

With these outstanding results, over the past 5 years, the Vinh City Red Cross Association has been awarded 4 Certificates of Merit and Emulation Flags by the Central Association for its outstanding achievements in the work of building the association organization. Regarding the Red Cross movement, the Ministry of Health awarded a Certificate of Merit for voluntary blood donation; the Provincial People's Committee awarded 2 Certificates of Merit for excellent implementation of emulation movements and organization of voluntary blood donation; 25 groups and 69 individuals were awarded Emulation Flags and Certificates of Merit by the Central Association; 34 groups and 72 individuals were awarded Emulation Flags and Certificates of Merit by the Provincial Association.

The results achieved in the past term have contributed to creating the driving force to build the Vinh City Red Cross Association to develop strongly, operate with high professionalism, be the core in humanitarian activities and Red Cross activities in the city, contribute to creating conditions for the poor, people infected with Agent Orange, war victims, disabled people, orphans, lonely elderly people... to reduce difficulties and improve their lives.

Luong Mai