During the harsh years of war, despite the many difficulties the country faced, the Party and President Ho Chi Minh, along with various levels and sectors, always showed special love and care, thoughtfully organizing the Mid-Autumn Festival for children.

During his lifetime, beloved President Ho Chi Minh always devoted his heart to children. His deep, humanistic poems for children during the Mid-Autumn Festival evoke warm and affectionate feelings, still resonating with childhood memories today.

Today, the Party and the State continue to show special care for children. This concern, both material and spiritual, is not only reflected in policies but also in practical actions. The top leaders of the Party and the State visit, give gifts, and participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival to encourage and motivate children to strive for excellence in their studies and behavior.

These gestures leave lasting beautiful memories in each child’s heart. Especially, the lion dances, the vibrant drumbeats, the moments of carrying lanterns, gazing at the moon, dreaming of the fairy world of Uncle Cuội, the banyan tree, and Sister Hằng, along with the joy of sharing mooncakes, make up the most cherished childhood memories.

However, these beautiful childhood images during the Mid-Autumn Festival seem distant to the less fortunate children. Unlike healthy children, millions of children with special needs, especially disabled children, struggle daily with physical pain and the hardships of life.

Currently, our country has about 25 million children under the age of 16, of which 1.7 million are children with special needs (6.8%), and over 2 million are at risk of falling into special circumstances (8%, mainly living in poor or near-poor families) [1]. As of December 31, 2023, the country had about 2 million disabled children [2].

We always empathize with their pain. Every year, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Party committees, authorities, mass organizations, and many compassionate individuals have been, are, and will continue to share and help ease the physical and emotional pain of children with special needs and disabilities, so they too can enjoy a happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, many creative charitable models have emerged across central and local organizations nationwide. These models effectively organize donation drives and support for children with special needs. The Vietnam Association for the Support of Disabled Children is one such compassionate organization, consistently coming up with innovative ways to care for and organize the Mid-Autumn Festival for disabled children. Over the years, the association has connected benefactors to share the difficulties and hardships of these children. The association has ignited hope in disabled children through practical and humane actions, particularly through the "Lighting Up Hope for the Children" program held each Mid-Autumn Festival.

This year, building on the success of eight previous events, the 9th "Lighting Up Hope for the Children" program in 2024 has been launched by the Central Committee and local chapters, such as the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City chapters, along with the Compassion & Life Magazine and affiliated units. The program has introduced new, creative, practical, and more effective ways to engage benefactors in supporting children with special needs, especially disabled children.

The 9th edition of the "Lighting Up Hope for the Children" program is being held for the first time in the Mekong Delta provinces. This year's special event, organized in Can Tho, will bring joy to 1,300 children, with over 1.3 billion VND and many meaningful gifts to share with and support disabled children during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Sharing Love - A Warm Mid-Autumn" is another notable event under this year's "Lighting Up Hope for the Children" program. It is the first of its kind and is expected to become an annual initiative by the Compassion & Life Magazine during future Mid-Autumn Festivals. The program was successfully held on September 16, 2024, in My Duc District, Hanoi, where the organizing committee presented cash and meaningful gifts to 300 disabled children in Hanoi, with a total value of over 1 billion VND.

We hope that this year's Mid-Autumn Festival will see many effective charitable models across the country, organizing events for children with special needs and disabled children, especially in areas heavily affected by Typhoon No. 3, so they too can experience a warm and joyful Mid-Autumn celebration. These exemplary models will continue to expand, inspire, and spread hope, helping children with special needs to confidently overcome challenges and integrate into society.

Dr. Trần Doãn Tiến