More than 850 struggling UEH students in Ho Chi Minh City amidst COVID lockdown

Sharing the sentiments with students, families and staff members who are currently struggling during the 4^th resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) set out on a mission to support and provide current UEH students & employees with all essential necessities, medical supplies, and financial assistance during this trying time.

The 4^th COVID resurgence has undoubtedly caused insurmountable hardships to Vietnam and its people through repeated lockdowns and social distancing orders. Not only did the pandemic severely stunted the nation’s economy and overall development, but it had also stranded individuals and families, most especially current and future UEH students and their parents, from having the means to defend themselves during this difficult time. For that reason, UEH has deployed a student support program that is worth up to 25 billion VND, a 5% tuition reduction policy across all academic levels and 1000 scholarships to those directly affected by the pandemic. Upon the first cycle of COVID scholarships phase 1 of 2021, UEH has issued 218 scholarships across all levels, including 167 Undergrads, 6 Transfers, 6 Post-Baccalaureates, 24 Work-Studies, and 15 Post-Graduates with total value of more than 1 billion VND.

In addition, the university also placed strong emphasis on struggling students currently stranded in Ho Chi Minh City, including those residing in UEH dormitories and other temporary housing situations in need of daily essential necessities and medical supplies.

Having said that, the first 2 support phases July 27 – 30 and August 5 – 8 have managed to bring more than 700 care packages have been delivered, including dry foods and perishables such as rice, eggs, cereal, spices and greens, etc. For the 3^rd support wave August 26 – 29, due to strict lockdown orders from the government on Directive 16/CT-TTg, UEH continued to deliver more care packages to 703 struggling students across the city. More specifically, UEH volunteers directly supplied 52 medical care packages (including medical masks, antibacterial saline, hand sanitizer, vitamin C, antipyretic/pain relievers, etc.), and food and products (instant rice, noodles, greens, etc.) to those in emergent situations. On top of that, 651 other underprivileged students were also given financial support from the university with total value of more than 358 million VND via wire transfers, allowing them the freedom and mobility to seek direct help from their wards and districts.

Thus far, more than 1,7 billion VND of UEH fund has been carefully distributed to support students and families in need affected by the pandemic. This program denotes UEH’s sense of social responsibility, as well as warm and heartfelt sentiments, in taking care of its people while strictly abiding by lockdown and social distancing regulations from the government.

UEH volunteers delivering care packages to students stranded in their dorms in Ho Chi Minh City

As for current boarding students staying in UEH dormitories, since the first few days of Directive 16 implementation, in addition to foods and medical products, the university also quickly moved to supple them and the in-house staff with other daily amenities such as detergent, toilet paper, shampoo, body wash, etc., with total value of nearly 300 million VND.

In the effort to support students, UEH has received the sharing hearts of many sponsors, helping the university to cook free meals for boarding students in the dormitory (2 lunches and dinners) with the amount up to 300,000,000 VND (as of September 1, 2021). Besides, there is the sharing and companionship of businesses, which have connected and supported products for boarding students with an amount of more than 40,000,000 VND. At the same time, the Lao Embassy gave 10 cash gifts to 10 Laotian and Cambodian students staying at dormitory 135 Tran Hung Dao, District 1 with a total value of 7,500,000 VND.

In particular, with the spirit of "the former helps the latter", the Executive Board of UEH Alumni Network has called and mobilized alumni to join hands to support the students to overcome this difficulty. Many alumni enthusiastically participated and supported the students with a total amount of 265,750,000 VND, 5 tons of rice and other essential necessities. Moreover, many alumni, especially alumni who used to stay in the dormitory, have campaigned to support the students staying in the dormitory with breakfast, necessities, instant noodles, fruit. plants and food with a total value of more than 180,000,000 VND.

Dormitory Management Board awarded alumni cash support to students at Dormitory 135

Along with that, many UEH Schools/Institutes have also directly organized support programs for students with difficult circumstances due to Covid-19. For example, the program "SCUER x SOBER Spread Love During the Pandemic" is organized by the Executive Board of SCUE in conjunction with the teachers of the School of Banking to support SCUEers in particular and students of the School of Banking in general. In the first phase (August 19), the program supported 82 students who were stuck in Ho Chi Minh City or infected with a total amount of 85,000,000 VND. In the second support phase (August 29), 68 students received support with a total amount of 68,000,000 VND. If including the amount of support for its members, the SCUE UEH fund has helped hundreds of students with an amount of up to nearly 200,000,000 VND in just the past one month. This is a testament to the traditional culture of solidarity, promoting the spirit: "no one is left behind".

The program “SCUER x SOBER Giving Love During the Pandemic Season” supports hundreds of students facing difficulties due to the epidemic

For officials and relatives in need of support during the epidemic period, the university gave 50 emergency safety bags including: medical masks, antibacterial saline, Multivitamin, Efticol, Panadol Extra, Acetyl 200, Oresol , ZinC, ... together to overcome the epidemic.

And united with the whole country to overcome the epidemic, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City also has many activities to support and support epidemic prevention for many localities and medical facilities. Responding to the university's call, UEHers jointly donated to the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund with a total budget of VND 550,000,000.

With practical and timely support activities, UEH hopes to spread positive energy to all UEHers, together continue to make efforts, adapt to the pandemic context, to accomplish the dual goal of controlling both disease control, while ensuring that the university's operations run smoothly and stably. At the same time, UEH also sincerely appreciates alumni, teachers, officials, employees, businesses and sponsors who have accompanied UEHers to overcome difficulties during the epidemic season.

News, Photos: Department of Marketing and Communication, Department of Student Affairs, Dormitory, Administration Office, Schools/Institutes.