Assisting for the poor
Since 2000, Binh Duong has set up the “Fund for the poor” across 3 levels to urge agencies and businesses, individuals, laborers and students to contribute to the fund. Annually, on the occasion of World Poverty Reduction Day (Oct.17), Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee initiates the Day for the poor campaign with the participation of all level agencies and mass bodies and businesses and individuals nationwide.
After 10 years of implementation, the campaign of Day for the poor has showed significant results. From Oct. 2000 to June 2010, the provincial fund for the poor at all levels mobilized nearly VND200bil from donors to build and repair 7,549 charity and hi-unity houses and 2,479 gratitude houses for the poor as well as offer free health check-ups and medicines for poor children. Especially, the fund at all levels assisted non-interest loans worth over VND800mil for local poor households.
From Jan-Aug. 2011, the all level steering boards of Fund for the poor mobilized over VND9.1bil from businesses, individuals.
Upholding solidarity
Over years, more and more people, businesses have involved in movements for the poor through many modes of non-interest loan offering, free vocational training and so on.
Superior Buddhist monk Thich Minh Thien, head of the provincial Buddhist Society, said “the Day for the poor has become a human movement, creating good impression on the public”.
To uphold efficiency of the day for the poor, the provincial steering board of Day for the poor will keep launching the campaign from Oct. 17 to Nov. 18, 2011 to ensure social welfare and build the national great unity bloc.
Reported by V.Son – Translated by A.C
