Every year the Da Nang Association of Charities and Children’s Rights Protection organizes the mid-Autumn festival for children.

Tran Thanh Nghia of Quang Nam province is one of dozens of children in the Da Nang charitable center. He lost his mother at an early age, his brother now suffers from leukemia, and his family is in serious financial difficulty. His father can only afford to feed one child.

The day Nghia came to the center, he cried a lot from homesickness. Day by day that homesickness has receded, thanks to the whole-hearted care he is receiving. The center now feels to him like a second home.

“I was admitted to the center a year ago. I study and play with other children here. Nurses and other workers give me thoughtful care,” Nghia said.

Unlike Nghia, 15-year-old Nguyen T. of Da Nang City didn’t have love from her parents. She was brought to the center a year ago after local officials learned of his situation.

Now T. has brothers, sisters, and friends around him to encourage him to study and make his dreams come true.

T told VOV, “Now that I live at the center, I go to school, and get fed, cared for, protected, and loved. My dream is to become a model. I hope in the future I can earn lots of money and repay my debt of gratitude to the center.”

Nearly 80 needy children and students are nurtured at the Da Nang Charitable Center.

The center receives about 25 needy children a year and currently has about 80. Most of them are from Da Nang city and Quang Nam province.

The rest are from Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, and Dak Lak provinces. They are enrolled at public schools in Da Nang and take remedial courses at the center.

Dang Huu Bao, the center’s Director, said, “Most of the children have lost their father or mother, or have been orphaned or abandoned. We want to give them a happy life.”

Le Thi Tam, Chairwoman of the municipal Association of Charities and Children’s Rights Protection, said that in the past 10 years, hundreds of disadvantaged children have been nurtured by the center, and have grown up, and obtained stable jobs.

“Whenever we learn of a needy child, we are ready to take them in. They are raised until they complete high school and then are given job counseling,” said Tam.

At the new home, they have brothers, sisters, and friends.

Since 2012 the American non-profit group “Giving it Back to Kids” has provided the center more than 170,000 USD a year to implement the project "Caring for and educating orphaned children in difficult circumstances in Da Nang".

“Giving it Back to Kids” is dedicated to helping kids achieve their maximum potential through better medical care, nutrition, education, and love. The project it sponsors helps 40 children a year aged 4 to 18.