VNF - As much as 1,000 helmets and basic first aid bags were presented to students of the Academy of Journalism and Communications on November 22 in Hanoi, part of a traffic safety project funded by Global Civic Sharing (GCS) – a non-governmental organisation from the Republic of Korea (RoK).

GCS Chief Representative Choi Eui-gyo presents helmets and first aid bags to students. (Photo: VNF)

The ceremony attracted the participation of representatives from Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), Hanoi's Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association, GCS, Samsung Life Insurance and the Academy of Journalism and Communications’ leaders.

This is the output of the agreement on “Samsung Together Hope Traffic Safety Project” between VUFO, Samsung Life Insurance and GCS signed on June 1, 2018 in Hanoi.

Addressing the event, Project Coordinator Oh Huyn Suk said that GCS is an international development NGO, which was established in 1998 for poverty reduction and development of global civil society. GCS has operated in Vietnam since 2000, in rural development and vocational training for poor young people in Hanoi, the northern province of Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang and the central provinces of Quang Tri.

Vietnam has a very high rate of motorcycle use, with about 50 million motorcycles nationwide at present so with the hope of helping to reduce traffic accidents and their consequences, Samsung Life Insurance coordinated with Global Civic Sharing to carry out this traffic safety project.

The project aims to raise awareness of abiding by regulations on wearing helmets among the public, especially students, in the country in order to minimise deaths and injuries caused by traffic accidents, towards a society of safe and civilised traffic.

The project, worth VND 6 billion (USD 257,000), is providing first aid kits and protective helmets for about 5,500 motorised vehicle users in Hanoi, including about 5,000 students and 500 motorcycle taxi drivers. Among them, 1,000 quality helmets and basic first aid bags were presented to over students of the Academy of Journalism and Communications so that they go to school safely, he noted.

At the event, there was a short comedy performance that encouraged people to always wear their helmets as well as talk on how to give first aid to traffic accident victims.

Wearing helmet is compulsory for both drivers and passengers on motorbike in Vietnam. The regulation is applicable for children from six./.

Translated by Tu Phan