HCMC – The “Delivery for Good” initiative has been launched to provide relief packages to thousands of children and families in HCMC who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vietnam is currently experiencing its fourth and longest pandemic wave to date. The pandemic has adversely affected communities, families and businesses, and many are facing the loss of loved ones and financial hardships. Since the start of the pandemic, over 2,500 children have been orphaned.
Under “Delivery for Good”, Mastercard, Grab Vietnam and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will provide more than 5,000 food packages to the affected children and families.
UNICEF is assisting by identifying children who have lost one or both parents and extremely vulnerable families with children struggling with poverty, exacerbated by the challenging economic conditions created by the pandemic. In addition to financial contributions from Mastercard, both Grab Vietnam and Mastercard will also use their commercial networks and partners to deliver food packages to the families.
“UNICEF has a long history of work in Vietnam, and given the urgency of the situation faced by countless children and families across the country right now, we are committed to providing our expertise and mobilizing our wonderful partners to bring relief to some of those struggling with incredibly difficult circumstances,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative to Vietnam.
Nguyen Thai Hai Van, Managing Director of Grab Vietnam, said, “Grab is glad that we can contribute to this meaningful initiative by leveraging our large network of merchant- and delivery-partners as a vehicle for distributing much-needed food and other essentials rapidly.
“We are committed to supporting Vietnam and Vietnamese people to overcome the various challenges brought on by the pandemic and will work to assist more people in need and contribute to improving the lives of thousands of people in the country during these challenging times.”
The partnership is part of Mastercard’s Priceless Causes global platform. Designed to bring people, businesses and opportunities together, Priceless Causes follows Mastercard’s mission to “Do Well by Doing Good”.
This platform has included projects such as using Mastercard’s technology to create digital vaccination records for children in the poorest countries, empowering and educating girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, and developing sustainable products for the payments industry.
“With Vietnam facing extraordinary challenges, Mastercard hopes that the “Delivery for Good” initiative will offer relief to those that need it now, as well as provide the foundation for future charitable partnerships in the country,” said Winnie Wong, Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, Mastercard.
“Moving forward, Mastercard will continue to explore new collaborations in Vietnam and across the region, where the company’s resources and technology can be used to directly benefit individuals, families and communities.”
