HCM CITY — Saigon Co.op has kicked off its “Happy Buses – Returning Home for Tết with Saigon Co.op” programme, sending 900 disadvantaged workers back to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year (Tết), which falls on February 17 this year.

Under the programme, 20 bus departed the city on Thursday, transporting passengers to provinces in the Central Highlands, and the south-central and north-central regions. In addition to a free journey home, passengers were provided with meals, drinks and Tết gifts, as well as reception and support upon arrival in their hometowns.

Speaking at the departure ceremony, Nguyễn Ngọc Thắng, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, said: “For us, the Happy Buses are not merely a social welfare activity; they are a long-standing commitment to bring happiness to the community. Tết feels fully meaningful when every migrant worker has the opportunity to return home and reunite with their loved ones.”

This year’s programme is supported by various corporate partners, including Unilever Vietnam, Mondelez International, Suntory PepsiCo, MaxKleen, Wilmar Marketing CLV, Dutch Lady Vietnam, Biên Hòa Consumer JSC, Nestlé and Masan Group. Their contributions have helped expand the scale of the programme, enhance passenger care and further promote the spirit of solidarity within the community.

One of the passengers on the bus heading to Đắk Lắk, Phạm Thị Lan, a freelance worker temporarily residing in HCM City, shared that her family had recently endured severe flooding that badly damaged their small house.

“After the storm, almost nothing in the house was intact. We came to the city to start over from scratch, saving every penny. When I heard I could join the ‘Happy Buses’, I was overjoyed because it meant my husband, child and I could return home early to help my parents clean up and repair the house. For my family, this bus is not just taking us home, it is taking us back to hope,” said Lan.

Sitting quietly while waiting to board, Lê Thị Sáu, a lottery ticket seller from Quảng Ngãi, said tearfully: “For the past few years, I could only call home to send Tết wishes because I couldn’t afford a bus ticket. Now that I can join the Happy Buses, I’m so happy. In my boarding house, where everyone sells lottery tickets or collects scrap, no one has been able to sleep since we received the bus tickets because we’re so excited.”

After four years, the Happy Buses programme has helped nearly 3,200 migrant workers return home for Tết. In its first year, the programme supported 500 passengers. Over the following three years, it has assisted 900 passengers annually, gradually expanding its reach and impact. — VNS