Hanoi man wrongly receives Red Cross’s donations meant for Cuba

Ha realized that many donors to a campaign supporting the Cuban people had sent money to the wrong account.

The program, launched by the Vietnam Red Cross, is receiving donations through account number 2022 at MBBank, while Ha’s account is also 2022 but at ABBank.

By Aug. 15 morning he had received more than VND3 million (US$100). He contacted the bank to return the money to the mistaken senders and said he would post a full statement of transactions online.

"I have temporarily locked my account so that people will not make further mistakes," he said.

The launch ceremony for the "65 Years of Vietnam-Cuba Solidarity" fundraising program, Aug. 13, 2025. Photo by VGP

The Red Cross is running a campaign from August 13 to October 16 to support Cubans under the theme "65 Years of Vietnam-Cuba Solidarity." The initiative aims to celebrate the close relationship between the two countries and honor the support Cuba gave Vietnam during difficult times.

The campaign raised over VND 65 billion in just 30 hours and contributions are continuing to pour in.

Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 2, 1960. During Vietnam’s war against the U.S., Cuba assisted with food, medicines and healthcare. Vietnam is now Cuba’s second largest trading partner and biggest investor in Asia.

A milestone in bilateral ties was Fidel Castro’s visit to Quang Tri’s liberated zone in September 1973, where he declared at Hill 241: "For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood." His words became a powerful source of encouragement for Vietnamese soldiers and citizens.