HCM City orphans and disabled kids will enjoy the spring festival this year, replete with traditional food and activities, thanks to the generosity of city fathers, students and sponsors.

 

Full of energy: Children join in sack race as part of a carnival programme at their school.

Mai Tḥ Be, 15, is dextrously tying the last bamboo string on a cylindrical glutinous rice cake, the third cake she has made since morning.

"I had never made [these] cakes before I was sent here (the School for Education and Vocational Training for Children).

"I am very happy to live here and this is the happiest Tet of my life so far."

Everyone in her school for underprivileged kids in HCM City's Go Vap District are happily preparing for the Lunar New Year festival.

Be is from An Giang Province and cannot remember who her parents are since they gave her away many years ago.

She had to work for street food vendors to earn her living. She was sent to the school early last year and now studies in first grade.

While she is busy packaging the cakes with instructions from student volunteers who have come to the school to help organise things for Tet, Dang Van Giang, 13, is awaiting his turn to participate in a "jump sack" race.

 

 

The children wrap banh chung (cake square) made of sticky rice, pork and green beans, a traditional food to welcome Tet.

Giang has been at the school for nearly two years and loves it. Last year's Tet was very interesting for him since he got many gifts and much ĺ x́ or "lucky money".

This year things could be even better because he and his schoolmates can take part in many interesting activities like playing folk games, painting, and making cards.

"We want to have such celebrations every Tet," he said.

Be, Giang, and more than 200 other children at the school are enjoying what is called "Tet Viet gan ket moi nha" (Vietnamese Tet brings everyone close), organised by the city Students Assistance Centre (SAC) with sponsorship from supermarket chain Coop Mart and detergent brand OMO and their clients.

The children are aged five to 16 and mostly homeless children, and come from around the country.

Every year the school authorities organise a small Tet party for the children with the modest amount of money given by the city and some kind souls.

"But this year's Tet is very different," deputy director Le Tḥ Thuy said.

"We and our children are enjoying a great party thanks to SAC, Coop Mart, and OMO.

"Dozens of students from universities and colleges in the city have come and helped us clean up, make traditional glutinous rice cakes, and organise folk games and music shows.

"I and other school authorities are overjoyed that our children have a chance to enjoy a happy Spring Festival."

It is not just the school's students who are taking part in all the fun, but also around 70 disabled children from the Go Vap Centre for Fostering and Sponsoring Children with Disabilities, she said.

Nguyeăn Tḥ Thu Ha from B́nh Ḍnh Province who is studying in a city college, looks very busy at the laundry.

Her task today is to help the school's children wash their blankets, mats, and clothes.

"Today, I am here hoping to make a small contribution to making it a happy festival for the poor kids in this school," she said.

 

 

Vocalist Cam Van takes to the microphone as part of a volunteer programme to help under-privileged children.

"Because I live away from home, I too feel very happy about joining such an event.

"Here I get a chance to make friends with many people. Through these activities, I feel I love the country and people around me more."

The SAC's plan this year is to help more than 1,500 orphans and disabled children living in city shelters to have an authentic Tet experience to replicate a family celebration.

Its director, Quach Hai Dat, said: "In previous years too we organised visits to city shelters during Tet, but we only gave gifts to the children there.

"However, this year we want to offer them a Tet experience as if they live in a family in the hope that they would feel the love of people."

Revelling in the festive atmosphere with her teachers, friends, sponsors and volunteer students, Tran Ngoc Hanh, a 15-year-old orphan from Phan Thiet Province, said bravely that her dream is to become a singer.

VNS Sunday