Connecting resources to strengthen social welfare

In addition to actively participating in emulation movements and campaigns, women’s associations at all levels, their members and women across the city are also leveraging their role in connecting and mobilizing social resources to join hands in caring for and supporting women and children facing difficult circumstances.

Bui Thi Hanh, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai City Women’s Union and Head of the City Women’s Affairs Committee, presents scholarships to students in border areas.

With contributions from businesses, organizations, individuals and the community, social resources have been directed to those in need, helping women improve their family economies and stabilize their lives while providing children with better support in education, healthcare, nutrition and life skills.

“Many small contributions make a big difference”

At just over 10 months old, Danh Tuan Kiet, who was living with his parents in a rented room in Dong Phu Ward, faced serious health problems and a difficult brain surgery. His parents had moved from the Mekong Delta to Dong Phu to earn a living. Their daily lives were already financially difficult, making the cost of surgery a heavy burden. In this difficult situation, they reached out for help in the hope that their son could receive the treatment he needed.

Vice Chairwoman of the ward Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, Chairwoman of the Dong Phu Ward Women’s Union Dinh Thi Ca said that after receiving the appeal for help, the ward Women’s Union quickly stepped in, directly verified the case, and connected with charitable groups and benefactors to seek support. Within just six days, from September 11 to 17, the ward Women’s Union connected the family with 24 individuals who provided more than VND17 million, helping the family promptly cover part of the surgery costs.

In the coming period, the city Women’s Union will continue to strengthen its role as a bridge, proactively identify needs, connect resources and coordinate with relevant sectors to provide better care for women and children, particularly those facing difficult circumstances, giving them greater opportunities to improve their lives and benefit from development.

Earlier, from September 2 to 6, the Dong Phu Ward Women’s Union had also connected with charitable groups and benefactors to support Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, a woman facing particularly difficult circumstances and living in a rented room in the ward. The support totaled more than VND32 million, along with essential food and household supplies.

Support efforts extend beyond women and children to other disadvantaged people in the community. Among the notable models are zero-dong kitchens, charitable kitchens and “loving kitchens.” The “Loving Kitchen” run by the Women’s Chapter in Long Tan Quarter in Nhon Trach Ward is one such example.

Head of the Long Tan Residential Area Women’s Branch Tran Thi Ngoc Dien said the “Loving Kitchen” began operating in late 2025. Since then, on the first day of each lunar month, the kitchen has prepared and distributed 300-500 hot breakfasts to people facing difficult circumstances.

These cases show that the prompt response and simple yet meaningful actions of women’s organizations have helped ensure that compassionate support reaches the right people at the right time, spreading the spirit of mutual care and support and contributing to social welfare.

Providing opportunities and long-term support

Vice Chairwoman of the city Women’s Union Nguyen Thanh Phuong said caring for women and children, particularly those facing difficult circumstances, is a key task of the organization. In recent years, women’s organizations at all levels across the city have focused on connecting resources from businesses, organizations, individuals, funds and benefactors to ensure support reaches the right beneficiaries and meets their actual needs.

Member of the Dong Nai City Party Committee, Vice Chairwoman of the city Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, Chairwoman of the city Women’s Union Le Thi Thanh Loan presents a symbolic funding board for livelihood-support models to representatives of women’s unions in border communes. Photo: Nga Son

The “Godmother” program alone has supported more than 1,000 children, with total funding exceeding VND21 billion. In eight border communes, the Women’s Union has mobilized nearly VND500 million to support about 340 disadvantaged students, along with school supplies, bicycles and uniforms. The organization has also coordinated care for 48 students under the “Supporting Children to School” and “Adopted Children of Border Guard Posts” programs. In addition, the Women’s Union has coordinated numerous practical support activities, including scholarships, white ao dai uniforms, Tet gifts, savings books, bicycles, learning equipment, “Compassion Houses” and health checkups.

According to the city Women’s Union vice chairwoman, social welfare efforts should not stop at helping people overcome immediate difficulties but should provide long-term support to help them gradually stabilize their lives. Gifts and financial assistance are a starting point for sharing and support, while livelihoods, employment, knowledge and development opportunities provide the foundation for disadvantaged women and families to become self-reliant. The city Women’s Union has therefore identified a gradual shift from short-term assistance toward long-term support, providing greater opportunities for members and women to proactively improve their circumstances and build sustainable livelihoods.

A clear example of this shift came several months ago, when the city's Women’s Union and the “Starting from the Heart” Fund signed a cooperation agreement through 2030 to support and care for disadvantaged orphans across the city. Following the signing, in addition to providing financial resources, the fund introduced several measures to make the program more sustainable, including life-skills education for children and their caregivers. The program is also expected to provide savings packages for children’s futures through insurance, pilot livelihood support for several families, and direct support for caregivers of children facing particularly difficult circumstances. These measures will give caregivers better opportunities to earn an income, stabilize their lives, and gradually become more self-reliant in caring for the children.

Meanwhile, as part of the special 500-day-and-night emulation campaign themed “Solidarity – Discipline – Efficiency – Breakthrough, building a civilized and modern Dong Nai,” the city Women’s Union is implementing a program to support 500 livelihood projects for members and women facing difficult circumstances. Through the program, women’s organizations at all levels will connect and mobilize resources to provide support and create conditions for members and women to improve their livelihoods and stabilize their lives.

By Nga Son – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho