Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - There’sa Tet (Vietnamese Lunar NewYear) atmosphere in the air in Hanoi at the moment with shops crowded withcustomers and loads of peach blossoms and kumquat trees on the streets.

Yet this time of the year can bepainful for patients who are stuck in hospitals and can’t return to theirhometowns to celebrate Tet withtheir families.

To ease their pain, a group ofhigh school students who run a charitable project named ‘Am’ (Warmth)hosted a classical music concert to raise funds for kidney dialysis patients inHanoi.

“Tet isvery near and we hope that our small gifts will warm their hearts,” said Pham VanAnh, founder of the project.

Unlike most students who are nowenjoying the thought of having a week off from school for Tet, the group is rushing to prepare giftsfor more than 120 kidney patients.

‘Am’ hosted a concert named Am Concert - Le Chauffage featuringthe young artists pianist Tran Le Bao Quyen who is pursuing professional pianoperformance major in Germany and her younger brother violinist Tran Le QuangTien on January 5.

The concert featured a solo pianoperformance and a duo and attracted almost 700 people, helping to raise a totalof 250 million VND (10,800 USD) from both ticket sales and donors.

“Through the concert, we wantedto convey a message of love and giving to the community as well as raiseawareness about charitable activities,” said Van Anh.

“Classical music may have alimited audience but we believe the music and passionate spirit of the artistsinspire audiences. We really appreciate the devotion and support from localaudiences,” she said.

Inspired by charitable trips withher mother, Van Anh founded the project in October last year. “My mother is aninspiration and a big motivation for me,” she said.

The 10th grader’s mother ispassionate about charitable activities. She has taken Van Anh with her on tripsto pagodas where orphaned kids are raised and cared for to cook for them, aswell as to the Children’s Hospital to deliver gifts to kids for the last 10years.

“I am fortunate that I’ve had thechance to accompany my mother to charitable events since I was small. Thishelps to nurture a great sense of compassion in me. Last year was when Irealised that I had the enthusiasm, capabilities and support from my family andfriends, and I was able to start a charitable project by myself,” said Van Anh.

In November last year, theproject held a music performance and sold fruit and cakes to raise funds on thepedestrian area near Hoan Kiem Lake.

More than 20 members of theproject, most of whom are from specialised high schools in Hanoi, have shownthey not only perform well at school but are also socially active and have warmhearts.

This first event they raised 8million VND (340 USD). At first the students planned to use the money to buymoon cakes for a community of kidney dialysis patients living on Le Thanh NghiStreet, but then a doctor from Bach Mai Hospital who is related to one of thevolunteers said that kidney patients should avoid sugar and starchy food. Theydecided to change to oil, which is an ‘essential for every family’.

The project operates like aprofessional non-profit organisation with different specialised sections:finance, human resources, content, logistics, media/design and communications –all done by 63 high school students from around Hanoi.

Besides hosting events to raisefunds, they make use of their Facebook fanpage, using it as a platform forcommunications. Every week, well-written stories about cancer patients,orphaned kids or about compassion which go with eye-catching graphic design andphotos are posted on the fanpage to ‘raise awareness about charitable deeds forthe younger generation’.-VNS/VNA