Nearly 1.8mn Vietnamese children under 5 are stunted: UNICEF

The latest data indicated that two out of every 10 children are affected by stunting in the Southeast Asia nation.

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children on Monday launched a nutrition fund program called ‘Cung Be Lon Khon’ (Help Children Grow), in collaboration with several partners, to support children in mountainous areas.

The program will provide 140,000 jars of milk products, worth VND1.4 billion (US$53,000), to children in Lai Chau Province, northern Vietnam.

Dinh Tien Hai, director of the national fund, said improving children’s physical well-being and addressing micronutrient deficiencies is a key mission of the fund, aligned with the state's welfare goals, especially for children in disadvantaged regions.

Many localities have proactively introduced nutrition improvement models, while firms have actively joined hands through various support initiatives.

Over the years, the fund has partnered with enterprises to run long-term programs such as providing milk for students and improving nutrition in remote areas.

These initiatives have shown clear effectiveness and received strong public support.

To effectively fight child malnutrition, Hai underlined three key solutions, with the first one being to raise awareness and shape nutrition habits among parents.

Many families have adequate means but lack proper nutritional knowledge, especially during the elementary-school years when children experience strong growth.

“Daily milk drinking and micronutrient supplementation must start at home,” he stressed.

The second solution is active involvement of local political systems, he noted.

Nutrition-related programs only succeed when local authorities and organizations work together, communicate effectively, and implement consistently.

He described mobilizing resources for poor children as the third solution.

Many children in disadvantaged areas cannot access nutritional products.

The fund is calling on businesses and philanthropists to provide direct support, ensuring all children have access to essential nutrition.

Hai said the ‘daily milk drinking’ campaign has succeeded in many provinces, but some areas still lack resources.

The fund will continue to expand the program and seek additional sponsors to narrow nutritional gaps between regions.

The nutrition fund program contributes to fulfilling the goal of ensuring no child is left behind, meaning that every child receives care, love, and adequate nutrition to grow up healthy and happy, regardless of where they live.

The initiative also aims to serve as a bridge for mothers through the MomForMom community, a space where mothers can connect, share experience, and support one another on their parenting journey.