Somewhere around us, there are still lives in need of compassion and support, with unstable homes, meals that are not enough to fill empty stomachs, insufficient warm clothing, or children struggling on their journey in search of knowledge. Such hardships are not the concern of individuals alone but a shared responsibility of the whole community. When acts of kindness are connected, even the smallest gesture can create meaningful change in many people’s lives.
From that reality, Humanitarian Month has been implemented as a “meeting point” for compassion, where sharing and support are connected and resources are delivered to the right people at the right time, bringing visible improvements to people’s lives. May has become more than just a point in time; it is now a meaningful period for spreading humanitarian values throughout society.
Since 2021, Humanitarian Month has been officially launched nationwide by the Viet Nam Red Cross Society, becoming a movement of national scale that attracts participation from the entire political system and all walks of life. Beyond being a peak campaign for mobilising resources and humanitarian action, Humanitarian Month has gradually affirmed its role as a mechanism connecting agencies, organisations, businesses, and communities in humanitarian activities, supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable people, and promoting sustainable social welfare.
In its five years of official implementation, from 2021 to 2025, Humanitarian Month has mobilised a total of more than VND 3 trillion and supported over 6.6 million disadvantaged people nationwide. More importantly, it has helped to strengthen social trust and spread the spirit of compassion widely across society. At the same time, it has reflected the effectiveness of resource mobilisation and the increasingly prominent role of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society as a core force, connector, and coordinator in humanitarian work.
President of the Viet Nam Red Cross Society Do Thi Thu Thao emphasised that Humanitarian Month 2026 is not only an annual event but also a special milestone looking back on the “80 Years – A Humanitarian Journey for the Community.” Compassion, she said, should not merely be a temporary act, but must become a standard of behaviour and a lasting value in society.
In the coming period, the Society will focus on three strategic pillars: building “Compassionate-Safe-Sustainable Communities” associated with strengthening people’s capacity for disaster prevention, risk response, and self-protection; accelerating digital transformation in humanitarian activities; and developing humanitarian economy models linked with sustainable livelihoods to help people improve and stabilise their lives in the long term.
Humanitarian Month 2026 has set out specific targets, including mobilising at least VND 500 billion for humanitarian activities; supporting sustainable livelihoods for 17,000 households; organising “Humanitarian Festivals” in 100% of communes and wards nationwide; ensuring each level of the Society implements at least one practical humanitarian project or activity; and continuing to promote voluntary blood donation with a target of collecting around 80,000 units of blood.
A notable feature of this year’s Humanitarian Month is the pilot implementation of the “Compassionate Communities – Connecting Love” model in disadvantaged areas in the provinces of Tuyen Quang, Nghe An, and An Giang. The model aims to provide comprehensive livelihood support for poor households, offer scholarships and learning materials to all poor students in the targeted areas, and build several community humanitarian projects marking the 80th anniversary of the society’s establishment. This is considered an important step forward, shifting from individual support to a more sustainable and in-depth community development approach.
In Thuong Nong, a mountainous area of Tuyen Quang Province that was once hit by severe storms, lies a small village called Thom Luong. At the launch ceremony of Humanitarian Month, Thom Luong was highlighted as an area facing many difficulties, yet it has become a place where hope and compassion begin to shine. With support from the Viet Nam Red Cross Society, the Tuyen Quang Red Cross Society implemented the key “Compassionate Communities – Connecting Love” model in Thom Luong Village, supporting the livelihoods of 108 poor households, providing scholarships and learning materials to 118 disadvantaged students, and constructing three community humanitarian projects with a total value of nearly VND 2.2 billion.
Nguyen Hoang Long, President of the Tuyen Quang Red Cross Society, said: “In addition to implementing the key model, we have also launched two provincial-level humanitarian projects, namely the boarding house for students at Nam Dan Semi-Boarding Primary School for Ethnic Minorities and the Ma Lau A kindergarten and primary school site in Lung Cu Commune, helping students study with peace of mind and nurture dreams for a brighter future.”
Humanitarian Month 2026 has delivered many practical and positive impacts to people’s lives, especially for poor and vulnerable groups and ethnic minority communities in remote, border, and mountainous areas. Through activities such as investing in educational infrastructure, supporting sustainable livelihoods, building houses, and providing scholarships for disadvantaged students, the programme has helped improve living conditions, ease immediate hardships, and motivate people to strive for a more stable future.
Humanitarian Month is not simply a campaign, but also a reminder of everyone’s responsibility toward society and of human empathy, helping build a sustainable humanitarian journey. When hearts filled with compassion beat together, they create a caring community where no one is left behind.
