70-year old Senior Venerable Thích Trí Định, Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s executive board in Binh Dai district cum Abbot of Dong Phuoc pagoda is well-known for his contributions in encouraging Buddhists and management boards of pagodas in the district to actively participate in patriotic movements launched by local authorities, including the campaign for supporting the poor, new rural area building and social charities. As reported, the Senior Venerable has raised a total of VND 15.5 billion for the implementation of those movements.

Senior Venerable Thích Trí Thọ, Abbot of Phuoc Loc pagoda in Binh Dai commune has organized fund-raising for presenting 50 clean water tanks to the poor valued at VND 110 million during the drought season in 2016, as well as digging a water reservoir in the pagoda’s courtyard for providing free fresh water for local households in case of necessity.

In 2017, given fundraising collected the senior venerable supported the building of three charity houses for disadvantaged families valued at VND 80 million for each.

Annually, the Buddhist dignitary organizes charity programs for helping disadvantaged households, poor patients and disadvantaged pupils in the locality at an estimated value of over VND 500 million.

In the first six months of 2018, from support of Buddhists and sponsors Senior Venerable Thích Trí Thọ presented 120 gift sets to local pupils valued at VND 36 million. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2018, the Senior Venerable handed over 200 gift sets at his own expense to poor households with the total value of VND 30 million and gathered the support from Buddhists to help poor patients with 70 gift packs worth VND 50.5 million.

Another typical individual for contributions in the implementation of socio-economic development in the locality is Deputy Head of the Executive Board of Hoa Hao Buddhist Church in Mo Cay district’s Khanh Thanh commune Nguyễn Văn Tài. The Hoa Hao dignitary has initiated a fund-raising program for building 12 rural bridges in communes of Tich Phuc, Khanh Thanh, Tan Hung, Tich Khanh, Tai Dai and Tan Loi with the total construction cost of VND 532.86 million.

Religious establishments in Ba Tri district have actively launched effective programs for helping local poor households, including the rice-supporting program by Long Khanh and Van Linh pagodas. As reported, 60 poor households in An Binh Tay commune have received the rice assistance from Long Khanh pagoda monthly valued at VND 53 million and 35 disadvantaged families in An Hiep commune received the same support worth VND 31.5 million by Van Linh pagoda.

Honoring contributions in helping the poor, seven religious dignitaries were presented certificates of merit during a recent conference to review a campaign launched for the poor by the VFF’s committee in Ben Tre city.

DT (baodongkhoi.vn)