Nhan Dan – A total of VND18 billion (US$1million) has been raised by organisations and individuals across the country to support fishermen on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.
As of July 31, the campaign has received VND2.9 billion (US$140,000) from more than 208,000 SMSs, each worth VND14,000 (US$0.67), through switchboard 1407, and VND15 billion (US$720,000) contributed directly to the campaign by 80 other benefactors.
The program, launched by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper’s Golden Heart Fund, aims to support fishermen and encourage them to help protect Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands.
There are currently 28 coastal cities and provinces in the country with nearly four million workers in the fisheries sector, 1.3 million of whom work on 130 offshore fishing boats.