Golden Heart Charity Social Fund - 30 years of sharing love, spreading kindness

Opening the doors of life

About 5 years ago, in the "Life Story" column of Lao Dong Newspaper, there was an article about Ms. Nguyen Thi Nham - a woman in Nam Dinh (old), now Ninh Binh province. Nham was originally a normal, healthy person, but since giving birth to her first daughter, Nham's limbs have become weak, gradually weakened and unable to walk anymore. Seizures also frequently appeared, making Nham unable to do anything. Her body is thin and weak like a dry branch, looking at Nham, everyone feels sorry when Nham's age is still too young but has to accept living day by day, month by month.

Loneliness and poverty made Nham afraid to think that if he unfortunately died, he would not have time to do anything useful. Therefore, Nham yearned to donate organs when he died so that he could help those less fortunate who needed one of his body parts.

When the article was published, Nham's wish made many people extremely touched and sympathetic. What is precious is that through the Golden Heart Charity Fund, Nham received from individuals and organizations an amount of nearly 300 million VND. Moved to send thanks to Lao Dong Newspaper, the Golden Heart Charity Fund and philanthropists, Nham choked up, trembling: "I thought my life was over when all doors had closed. But it is Lao Dong Newspaper that is the bridge for me to receive love and help from everyone. I feel very clearly that I am living a new life with more faith and hope".

Nham's story is one of thousands and tens of thousands of lives helped by the Golden Heart Charity Fund over the past 30 years. This also proves the saying of journalist Le Thanh Phong, which is the sharing of people who do not know each other but are still willing to help each other in times of hardship.

Nearly 30 years have passed, the journey of efforts and striving of the Golden Heart Charity Fund (originally known as the Golden Heart Fund) today has become a familiar name for social and charitable activities, a reliable address for hundreds of businesses and philanthropists; a solid support for tens of thousands of workers, civil servants and laborers and people in difficult circumstances across the country.

Spreading love

Returning to the early days of establishing the Fund, former Editor-in-Chief of Lao Dong Newspaper - Pham Huy Hoan once shared: "Starting from 1996, we raised the issue of establishing the Golden Heart Fund because at that time natural disasters and storms in the Central region and the Mekong Delta region caused very large damage. All information about the devastation of storms and floods was continuously published in Lao Dong Newspaper.

At that time, in my position as Editor-in-Chief of Lao Dong Newspaper, I received many letters and phone calls from individuals and organizations, wanting to join hands with Lao Dong Newspaper to support and help those in difficult circumstances. I myself also directly saw difficult lives due to storms and floods, so together with the collective of Lao Dong Newspaper, we decided to establish a charity fund to receive the hearts of readers nationwide, as well as agencies and units named Golden Heart Fund because this will be a place to receive the hearts of readers.

All the information that readers want to contribute originates from articles in newspapers. Therefore, at that time, we were very confident and proud that the Golden Heart Fund would definitely "shine" and reach places that need help.

Established in October 1996, the first trip of the Golden Heart Fund was in the Mekong Delta.

On the front page of Lao Dong Newspaper issue dated October 17, 1996, the first news bulletin about the Golden Heart Fund was published. Also on the front page of that issue, many information about the flood situation in localities such as: Flood in Dong Thap (old) killed 21 people; Flash flood killed at least 8 people in Ha Giang (old place name)......

On November 14, 1996, the then Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Mr. Nguyen Van Tu, sent a letter to the Editorial Board of Lao Dong Newspaper about the Golden Heart Fund. The letter wrote: "Recently, to contribute to helping people in difficult circumstances in disaster-stricken areas, Lao Dong Newspaper opened the Golden Heart Fund. In just a short time of launching, many State agencies, production and business units of economic sectors, foreign organizations operating in Vietnam and many individuals, including students, with a charitable heart, in the spirit of "the healthy leaf protects the torn leaf", enthusiastically participated, so in just a short time, hundreds of millions of VND were mobilized to be transferred to people and localities facing difficulties. This is a meaningful and very practical work, welcomed by public opinion.

On behalf of the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, I commend and praise the initiative of the Editorial Board of Lao Dong Newspaper to open the Golden Heart Fund, hoping that this Fund will be maintained regularly so that it can promptly mobilize support to help localities and individuals facing difficulties in life.

The Golden Heart Fund was established and operates for non-profit purposes, according to the principle of self-generating capital by mobilizing support and voluntary contributions from organizations and individuals at home and abroad. The Fund self-finances social and charitable activities and is self-responsible with its own assets, not supported by the State budget or Trade Union budget. With the motto "Receive one dong, transfer one dong", public, transparent and always present in a timely manner, helping the right people, the amount of money the Fund mobilizes continuously increases every year, proving that the prestige of the Fund is firmly affirmed, not only among workers and employees but also among all classes of people.

From the moment immediately after the establishment of the Golden Heart Fund, programs were continuously launched and implemented in a bustling manner, with a wide spread in the community and society. Typically, the program "Supporting people affected by natural disasters" marked the presence of the Golden Heart Fund to poor workers. Floods in the Mekong Delta (1996 - 1997) and historic floods in the Central region (1999) or natural disasters, earthquakes in Lai Chau, flash floods in Ha Giang, tornadoes in Thai Binh (old administrative locations)... were all present by Lao Dong Newspaper reporters with bare feet, immersed in floods carrying each sack of rice, each box of instant noodles to aid people.

Hundreds of programs have been continuously implemented such as: "Contributing Tet with the poor", "Supporting workers who have accidents and occupational diseases", "Building schools to help students in remote and isolated areas", "Writings for poor students", "Supporting Agent Orange victims and policy families", "Trade Union Shelter", "Supporting particularly difficult families through the Life Story section"...

In addition, the Fund also built many works that left a deep impression, spreading many humanistic and noble meanings. Among them, Dong Loc Bell Tower in Ha Tinh, Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Area in Khanh Hoa, Hoang Sa Soldiers Memorial Area on Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai (old). These are large works, expressing the gratitude of the Trade Union organization and union members and workers nationwide to the children of Vietnam who fell to protect the Fatherland, as well as expressing patriotism, a desire for peace and the determination to protect the Fatherland of the entire nation.

With the spirit of "giving is forever", officials and reporters of Lao Dong Newspaper not only consider this a job but also a long-term and attached career to contribute passionately. These things create trust, transparency, and attract many units and businesses to join hands to support. Tens of thousands of philanthropists and thousands of businesses have joined the team of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters to rush into the most difficult areas to fulfill their mission.

Throughout 30 years of operation, tens of thousands of poor workers and laborers have received support and assistance from the Golden Heart Fund. Major programs such as: "Taking care of Tet for civil servants and laborers" have taken care of workers both materially and spiritually, helping everyone have a warm, prosperous and full Tet.

The program "Caring for and supporting workers injured in labor accidents" promptly shares with disadvantaged families such as mine collapses in Quang Ninh, ferry sinkings in Nghe An, Phu Tho, helping families of police soldiers who sacrificed while on duty... In addition, there are also many Trade Union Solidarity Houses that have been repaired and newly built to help stabilize the lives of poor workers and laborers.

So that faith lasts forever

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Golden Heart Charity Fund, answering an interview with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Chairman of the Management Council of the Golden Heart Charity Fund emphasized building trust. According to the Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor: "Today, in the digital age, transparency must be immediate and visual. All contributions, whether it is a few thousand VND from students or billions of VND from businesses, need to be updated in real time on the digital statement system. The disbursement process and images of giving gifts directly to difficult circumstances at the Golden Heart Charity Fund must be clearly conveyed, with confirmation from local authorities and independent parties. The skepticism of social networks can only be extinguished by undeniable data and evidence.

According to Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, the Fund needs to operate according to modern management standards: Have thorough practical surveys to rescue the right people at the right time; have impact reports after sponsorship. When social networks explode, the dossier review process needs to be stricter to avoid charity profiteering, ensuring that the resources of philanthropists are placed in truly worthy places.

In particular, the Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor emphasized the preservation of the "root" of the press agency: "The biggest advantage of the Golden Heart Charity Fund is the support from Lao Dong Newspaper - the mouthpiece of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor. The prestige of the newspaper is the shield protecting the prestige of the Fund. Maintaining journalistic ethics, authenticity and truthfulness of press information is the indirect way to protect the word "Trust" for the Fund. Times may change, charity funds may spring up more and more, but a charity organization that does charity with professionalism, pure heart and absolute transparency will always have a firm foothold in the hearts of the public.

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