2020 was full of major, world-shifting events, such as the outbreak of the COVID-19, a series of forest fires, earthquakes, and frequent floods across Southeast Asia, all of them have caused devastating impacts. According to a report from Greenpeace, climate change has made extreme rainfall that results in flooding and other natural disasters, and it gets more and more severe year by year. From mid-September to early December 2020, Vietnam and Indonesia were hit by powerful storms, causing serious flooding, which have threatened the lives and properties of many residents.
In order to support flood relief, the subsidiaries and its affiliated labor unions of Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Limited under Pou Chen Group located in Vietnam have cooperated with local Government Office, Motherland Front, Red Cross and other units to raise donations and promote flood relief projects, including donating provincial government disaster relief funds personally delivering supplies to residents in the affected areas, conducting impact surveys and assistance projects for employees, etc., so as to send supports and cares to the places in needed within a short time.
On November 28th 2020, Pou Chen donated a total of VND 6 billion (around USD 260,000) in disaster relief funds to Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces through the Government Office to help the post-disaster relief and reconstruction work in the central provinces of Vietnam. Mr. Mai, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and minister of the Government Office, said "Pou Chen's charitable act of sending funds and aids to the victims in the three central provinces fully demonstrates the spirit of corporate social responsibility and provides timely support to help the victims overcome the difficulties." Pou Chen’s Director, Mr. Tsai shared "We are cooperating with the government office and doing our best to provide help and send condolences. We hope that everything will be out of danger and return to calm soon."
Besides of participating in government donations, the company's affiliated labor unions have raised nearly VND 2.9 billion (around USD 125,000) and sent aid funds to residents in need. Take Pou Yuen Company in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as an example, during November 9th to 14th, the company’s management team and Motherland Front in Binh Tan District, Vietnam carried out a six-day flood relief operation in Central Vietnam. The donations were sent directly to the disaster-stricken area. A total of about 800 households benefited, and each family received a set of distribute gifts, including 1 thermos, 1 blanket, 1 raincoat, 2 T-shirts or quilts and 2 towels.
Meanwhile, Pou Chen also launched the "Disaster Employee Assistance Project" in Vietnam. In early November, it conducted a survey on the disaster situation of employees and distributed employees’ disaster relief subsidies. Mr. Fan, a employee of Pou Chen, said "This heavy rain caused landslides and flooding of more than 2.5 meters. Many people have suffered huge losses at home. I sincerely appreciate the company's quick and direct help and feel touched by the company's care for employees."
Pou Chen's subsidiaries and its affiliated labor unions in Indonesia also cooperated with the local community to deliver resources to four villages in Tambak Pasir on December 8th, including drinking water, rice, eggs, cooking oil, instant noodles and other daily necessities to help the villagers overcome the shortage and inconvenience as soon as possible. Pou Chen has long attached importance to development together with the community and provided much assistance during the flooding period, such as: community volunteer clinic and medical services to help villagers recover from the flooding and understand the importance of hygiene; or provide community construction and build garbage collection plants to avoid problems such as garbage accumulation that may cause drainage difficulties.
Pou Chen has been engaged in local community’s development in Indonesia and Vietnam for nearly 30 years, and has always been committed to promoting social welfare, especially helping residents in remote areas overcome natural disasters and diseases. The global economy was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the moment when the community is most in need of assistance, Pou Chen upholds the spirit of mutual assistance and caring, and works hand in hand with the local government and relevant authorities, with the hope of helping victims rebuild their homes and resume normal lives as soon as possible.
