On January 23, Kim Linh 1 pagoda in Tien Giang province’s Cho Gao district held a ceremony to present scholarships to poor and excellent pupils and Tet gifts to local people on occasion of the traditional New Year.
Attending the ceremony were Venerable Deputy Head of the Vietnam Buddhist Institute in Ho Chi Minh city, Head of the Today Buddhism Foundation Thích Nhật Từ, Venerable Vice Chairman of the provincial Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Executive Committee cum Abbot of Kim Linh pagoda Thích Thiện Tâm and large numbers of Buddhists and sponsors.
Local guests at the event included Vice Chairwoman of Cho Gao district People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Tiếp and Vice Chairman of the provincial Committee for Religious Affairs Trần Văn Khuê.
According to Venerable Thích Thiện Tâm, on occasion of Tet Festival, the pagoda organized fund raising from donors and the Today Buddhism Foundation for presenting 150 scholarships, worth VND 500,000 each scholarship to poor and excellent pupils, and organizing medical charity programs, presenting gift boxes to the poor with the total value of 500 VND million as well as completing one concrete bridge in the locality.
Venerable Thích Nhật Từ and Venerable Thích Thiện Tâm present scholarships to pupils.
On this occasion, the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee presented certificates of merit to two collectives and three individuals; the district People’s Committees awarded its certificate of merit two collectives and five individuals for their outstanding contributions in social and charitable activities in the locality.
Hữu Đức
