A scholarship awarding ceremony in HCM City for children with outstanding marks. — Photo courtesy Phu My Hung Development Corporation

Scholarships worth VND2.7 billion (US$118,400) have been awarded to outstanding students in HCM City and neighbouring provinces by the Phu My Hung Development Corporation and Lawrence S. Ting Memorial Fund (Lawrence S. Ting Fund).

This is the 17th consecutive time that outstanding students living in disadvantaged conditions have received the scholarships.

This year, the value of each scholarship is higher than that of previous years. Scholarships for students in university are VND14 million ($614) per year and for high school children VND6.3 million ($276) per year.

The awards ceremony late last week gave scholarships to a number of students.

Another VND5.8 billion ($254,000) for scholarships has been given to charity foundations and associations in 63 provinces and cities including the National Fund for Vietnamese Children, HCM City Fund for the Poor, Vu A Dinh Fund, HCM City Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients, and Sponsoring Association for the Disabled and Orphans in HCM City. These scholarships will be given to students in provinces and cities in the country.

The Lawrence S. Ting Fund and Phu My Hung Development Corporation have awarded 109,000 scholarships worth VND117 billion ($5.1 million) in the last 17 years.

In addition to giving scholarships, the Lawrence S. Ting Fund for 14 years has organised many charity programmes to support schools in the country, donating nearly VND169 billion ($7.4 million).

Health-care is another sector receiving support from the fund. Since 2009, the fund has given 23,600 wheelchairs to people living with disabilities.

The fund has organised many free health-check programmes for people living in remote areas. — VNS