On the afternoon of February 22, the Sponsoring Council of the Children's Fund of Dak Lak province held a conference to report on the results of support for children in 2022 and the implementation plan for 2023. Ms. H'Yim Kdoh - Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee, Chairman of the Sponsoring Council of the Provincial Children’s Fund chaired the Conference.

The report at the conference stated that by the end of 2022, the province had 525,326 children, including 4,908 children with special circumstances; 13,723 children receiving monthly social allowance; 392 children without a source of nourishment; 14 HIV-infected children from poor households; 3,464 children with severe and especially severe disabilities; 9,853 children under 3 years old from poor or near-poor households.

The conference

In 2022, the Provincial Children's Protection Fund has redirected support to programs with more children benefiting. The support resources of individuals and organizations implemented through the Fund have reached the right subjects and complied with the right purposes and support processes, publicity and transparency, contributing to ensuring the social security of the province. Accordingly, in 2022, the Fund has raised nearly 8 billion VND (including cash, in-kind and cash for children, reaching and exceeding the plan by 177%, along with allocated budget resources of more than 400 million VND). The Fund has supported 9,011 children with a total budget of more than 8.5 billion VND, reaching and exceeding the plan by 180%.

Doctors at Tam Duc Heart Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) provide free heart screening for disadvantaged children in 2022

Activities to support, care for and protect children implemented in the past year include: organizing screening and counseling on cardiovascular diseases for 748 children; eye diseases examination and providing free medicine for 100 children; clubfoot surgery and rehabilitation of motor deformities; semi-boarding meals, milk and food for more than 1,600 disadvantaged, orphaned and disabled children; scholarships for 1,206 studious children from difficult circumstances; bicycles, notebooks and learning tools for nearly 1,400 children in difficult circumstances; 276 sets of hot and cold equipment and utensils for 1,738 children in schools in remote, disadvantaged and remote areas.

In addition, the Fund also provides support for 28 children suffering from accidents, drowning, violence, serious diseases, orphans of both parents; support for 9 children whose parents passed due to COVID-19; supporting the construction of 6 houses for 12 disadvantaged and orphaned children with a budget of 320 million VND; organizing events on the occasion of Children Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, Action Month for Children and give 1,403 gifts to disadvantaged children in the province, with a budget of more than 444 million VND.

Director of the Provincial Children’s Fund Lam Dinh Nhien speaking at the conference

At the conference, the delegates raised difficulties and problems in the process of supporting children such as: the mobilization of support resources in the province is still limited, mainly from enterprises outside the province and Non-governmental organizations; communications on the protection, care and education of children with special circumstances is not really regular, there are still many limitations, especially in some remote, isolated and ethnic minority areas.

On the basis of the achieved results, in 2023, the Sponsoring Council of the Provincial Children's Protection Fund strives to mobilize resources of more than 4.5 billion VND, supporting nearly 6,000 children in extremely difficult circumstances.

Ms. H'Yim Kdoh - Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee, Chair of the Sponsoring Council of the Provincial Children's Protection Fund speaking at the conference

Speaking at the conference, Ms. H'Yim Kdoh - Vice Chair of the Provincial People's Committee, Chair of the Sponsoring Council of the Provincial Children's Protection Fund recognized and praised the results in the work of supporting children over the past time. At the same time, it is recommended that relevant levels, branches and units continue to connect and introduce programs, projects, donors, and non-governmental organizations to increase support resources for children; diversify forms of funding mobilization; raise awareness, knowledge and skills on the protection, care and education of children, especially children with special and difficult circumstances. Special attention should be paid to improve the prevention of drowning for children; advise and coordinate in implementing health screening and counseling programs for cardiovascular, eye, cleft palate, and motor malformations for children across the province.