Priest Paul Nguyễn Văn Vinh, Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Catholics in Ca Mau province presents 275 bicycles to poor pupils in September, 2020

During the 2017-2022, local Catholics have contributed over 100 billion VND for implementing social and charitable programs and projects in the province.

Local parishioners have contributed tens of billions VND for supporting education  in the province. In particular, many parishes of Hoa Thanh, Ao Kho, Quan Long (Ca Mau city), Kinh Ba (Phu Tan district), Rach Goc (Ngoc Hien district), Khanh Minh (U Minh district), Khanh Minh (Tran Van Thoi district), Cai Ran, Cay Bom (Cai Nuoc district), Tan Loc (Thoi Binh district), Bau Sen (Dam Doi district), and Kinh Nuoc Len (Nam Can district), etc have presented hundreds of scholarships to poor pupils in localities. Priest Bernard Nguyễn Tấn Đạt has presented 120 scholarships to poor pupils. Sisters of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul have provided assistance over 500 pupils and 71 female students, regardless of religion from first grade to university, over the past nine years. Priest Paul Nguyễn Văn Vinh, Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Catholics in Ca Mau province in collaboration with Mesa Company presented scholarships and bicycles to poor pupils.

The Nhan Ai center for raising children with disabilities – orphans in Tan Xuyen ward of Ca Mau city opens the school year 2022 - 2023

Relating to free health check-ups, priests in collaboration with local authorities and doctors from Ho Chi Minh city have organized medical charities for providing free eye surgeries, health checks and distribution of medicines to local poor people, presenting 300 wheelchairs to 300 elderly and people with disabilities. Priest Martino Nguyễn Hoàng Hôn and Priest Paul Nguyễn Văn Vinh have mobilized resources from sponsors for providing heart surgery for over 100 patients, with an average of 60 to 90 million VND per case.

The provincial People’s Committee has approved the establishment of Nhan Ai center for raising children with disabilities – orphans located in village 3, Tan Xuan ward of Ca Mau city. The center was managed by Priest Paul Nguyễn Văn Vinh, Chairman of the Committee for Solidarity of Catholics in Ca Mau province and sisters of the Saint Paul Congregation in order to help deaf and dumb children and orphans to integrate into the community life by their own ability, contributing to reduce financial burden on families and society.

Over the past years, in Christmas and Tet festivals, Catholic parishes have presented supports including blankets, rice, noodles, and cash to beneficial families and poor households, regardless of religion, and including Khmer households in the province. During the 2017-2022 period, over 800 elders, orphans and people with disabilities have received 10 kg of rice per month, with the total amounted to 576 tons of rice, worth over 6.8 billion VND.

Responding to hunger eradication and poverty reduction programs in the province, Catholic parishes of Ca Mau, Hoa Thanh, Quan Long, U Minh, Rau Dua, Cai Ran, Cai Doi Vam, Ao Kho, Huyen Su, Tan Loc, Khanh Hung, Kinh Ba, Kinh Nuoc Len, Song Doc, Rach Goc, etc have built over 500 charity houses, worth from 23 to 50 million VND each.

Typically, Catholic priests of Cai Ran parish have successfully raised fund from benefactors in localities for building 310 charity houses worth over eight billion VND for the poor, regardless of religion; and Priest Paul Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh, Head of Ca Mau parish has supported the construction of 200 charity houses, worth 50 million VND each.

Over the past five years, the total contribution for the construction of charity houses is over 25 billion VND.

In order to provide clean water for the poor in remote areas, Priest Paul Nguyễn Văn Vinh, Priest Martino Nguyễn Hoàng Hôn, Priest Bernard Nguyễn Tấn Đạt, Priest Dominic Châu Hoàng Ngọc, Priest John Baptist Phạm Văn Tụ, Priest Peter Trịnh Quốc Việt, Priest Peter Nguyễn Chí Hùng, etc have dug over 1,000 wells worth from 5 to 8 million VND each.

In response the campaign motivating people to develop a new-style rural development in residential areas,  priests and Catholic parishes in collaboration with local authorities have built 200 rural concrete bridges. Each bridge costs from 90 to over 300 million VND.

PH