The Ho Chi Minh City Fund for the Poor has helped raise the incomes of 103,720 poor households, or 5.68 percent of the city\'s population, a municipal official said.

A doctor provides free health checks for poor people in Long Binh Ward, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, deputy secretary of the city\'s Party Committee, said that the fundraising campaign for the poor had received donations of more than VND740 billion (USD35.5 million) since it was initiated in 2001 by the Vietnam Fatherland Front\'s Ho Chi Minh City Chapter.

Under the city\'s current poverty line, families with a per capita income of VND12 million (USD571) per per year are poor.

At a conference held on May 10 to review 10 years of the fundraising campaign, Ha said that more than 23,000 new houses were built for war invalids and martyrs\' and poor families, and more than 10,000 dilapidated houses were repaired with support from the the fund over the past 10 years.

A total of 305,820 scholarships were handed out to disadvantaged students to reduce the rate of drop-outs in the city.

Nearly 7,500 students have received bicycles and bus tickets so that faciliated their travelling to school.

Free-interest loans worth nearly VND13 billion (USD625,000) were also provided to poor households to start businesses.

By the end of last year, the city had helped more than 46,100 households to raise the average yearly income to more than VND12 million (USD579.7) per person.

"The fund, which has great political and social significance, has received donation from organisations, enterprises and individuals at home and abroad," Ha said. "It contributed significantly to the city\'s efforts to assist war invalids and martyrs\' families as well as disadvantaged families in the city and surrounding areas."

Over the past 10 years, a variety of charity activities were held to raise funds for the poor, including musical and art performances, walk campaigns and bike rides.

She asked State agencies and organisations to closely coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels to develop the campaign for the poor to help the city ensure social welfare and security.