German journalist’s charity visit to central Vietnam

Journalist Lothar A. Baltrusch has travelled 15,000 km by his motorbike from Germany to Vietnam to see a poor girl in the central province of Quang Tri.

The German journalist arrived in Vietnam on July 9 after he left Schwerte city, Germany, on May 17 and went through many countries, including Poland, Latvia, Russia, Mongolia, China and Laos.

His first destination in Vietnam is Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, where he is going to provide financial support for Pham Thi Thao Huyen, a poor girl introduced to him by the World Vision – a non-profit organization.

Lothar is prepared to see a 13-year-old girl named Huyen and her family whom he has financially supported since September 2009.  To him, money is not enough and he likes to meet the girl personally.

During his journey, Lothar will also visit and present gifts to underprivileged children and a number of families involved in a World Vision project in Quang Tri.

Lothar says he has raised more than 16,000 Euro and received an additional sum of 4,000 Euro donated by Wolfgang Thierse, Vice-President of the German Bundestag in four years for charity work in Quang Tri where he plans to fund the construction of a school.

Born in 1962, Lothar is a journalist for Antenne Unna, a radio station in the German Northrhine-Westphalia's radio network.

NZ holds education fairs in major cities

New Zealand education fairs will be held in Ha Noi today and in HCM City tomorrow, according to the country's embassy.

More than 30 high schools, English language and vocational training schools, and universities from New Zealand will take part.

"We will continue to work closely with the Vietnamese Government to contribute to Viet Nam's human-resource development and education requirements in the coming years,"Ambassador Haike Manning said.

UPS Foundation funds disadvantaged kids

The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, yesterday announced it has given two grants to Vina Capital Foundation (VCF) and Room To Read in Viet Nam to improve the quality of life of children in the country.

VCF was given a grant of US$30,000 to fund the "UPS, Heartbeat of Viet Nam" programme beginning in August.

In addition, a grant of US$26,750 has been awarded to Room To Read, an organisation that aims to bring educational opportunities to disadvantaged children.

Six injured in traffic accident

Six passengers were injured after a head-on collision involving a bus on National Highway 18A in northeastern Quang Ninh Province yesterday.

The accident took place in Ha Long City and left one passenger seriously injured.

Local police are investigating the cause of the accident.

Petrol theft group arrested by police

Police in the northern Hai Phong City on Thursday raided a gang stealing and trafficking petrol between the city and Ha Noi.

Provincial police apprehended four men stealing petrol near Con Co Company and Dinh Vu petrol depository on September 19, seizing oil-cans, 208-litre oil drums and canvases used to transport the stolen goods.

The investigation group also arrested the group's leader, Dao Manh Cong.

Captain, officers of Sima Sapphire held accountable for collision

The captain and two officers of the Singapore Cargo Ship ‘Sima Sapphire’ have been held accountable for the collision with a Vietnamese fishing vessel on September 16, which left three people dead and five others still reported missing.

A representative from Vung Tau Maritime Port Administration announced they had recovered data from the ship’s black box which incriminated the crew of the Singapore Cargo Ship.

Two officers of the ship were negligent and did not issue a warning when the fishing boat was coming nearer. The second officer was primarily responsible for the accident as he was on duty at the time when the collision took place.

Le Van Chien, Director of Vung Tau Maritime Port Administration, said they are still keeping the ship’s black box to continue decoding data before and after the accident.

The Singaporean ship owner has to complete documents and then pay a required deposit before the ship will be released to go on to Malaysia.

US peace activist visits Vietnam

US left-wing peace activist Randy Ross is making a visit to Vietnam to study the land and people here, and the enduring consequences of the American War.

Ross was received by Nguyen Thi Binh, former Vice State President and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fund for Peace and Development, in Hanoi on September 27.

Recalling international friends’ assistance to Vietnam during the war, Binh highlighted the country’s efforts in settling such issues as unexploded ordnance and Agent Orange/Dioxin victims.

She said she hopes through this ongoing visit, Ross and her family will help US youngsters and peace activists better understand Vietnam, promoting mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two peoples.

The fact-finding visit, which will run until October 10, will help the US guest write about Vietnam ’s current development achievements and the consequences of the war, including the impact of Agent Orange/Dioxin on women and children.

Randy Ross is a lecturer on gender equality at Brown University in the US.

Festival for outstanding students in Russia

Close to 140 Vietnamese students and postgraduates who excel in their studies in Russia gathered at a festival in Moscow on September 28.

Addressing the festival, the first of its kind held after 20 years, Truong Duy Phuc, a Moscow-based Vietnamese Embassy official in charge of student affairs, highlighted Vietnamese students’ achievements in their studies and scientific research in Russian training establishments.

He affirmed that Vietnam still chooses Russia as a reliable address for its students, citing that the number of Vietnamese students sent to learn in Russia has increased from 135 in 2000 to 500 in 2013.

At present, around 7.000 Vietnamese students are pursuing education in Russia .

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Pham Xuan Son expressed his wish that Vietnamese students graduated in Russia will make great contributions to the national industrialisation and modernisation.

The organising board presented awards to those with excellent academic performance in Russia .

Earlier on September 27, the participating students laid a wreath at the Statue of President Ho Chi Minh in Moscow.-

Co To island on the verge of national power grid link-up

Residents in Co To island district in the northern province of Quang Ninh have excitedly reacted to the news that the national power grid will soon cover the whole island.

The 1.1 trillion VND (51.7 million USD) power project, which started at the end of last December, is proceeding rapidly in order to bring light to the island residents by October 15, more than ten days ahead of schedule.

According to Nguyen Phuc Vinh, President and CEO of the Northern Electricity Corporation, the project is the first of its kind in Vietnam with about 30 kilometres of cables running on the seabed at a depth of up to 30 metres.

Thanks to the effort of engineers and workers, the project is unprecedented in its quality and speedy implementation, Vinh noted.

Nguyen Dinh Ly, an engineer of Thai Duong Electric Construction Co.Ltd, the project’s constructor, said about 80 percent of the work had been done by September 28.

All the elements of the project are expected to be completed by October 10, said Phung Ngoc Phong, Director of the Quang Ninh provincial Electricity Company.

The development, which has been launched to celebrate Quang Ninh’s 50 th founding anniversary (October 30) will help raise local living standards while boosting economic growth in the island district.

Presently, electrical equipment on Co To island is powered by diesel generators and solar panels, which makes prices much higher than the national average.

V-Olympic Internet-based Maths Contest launched

The Ministry of Education and Training and FPT Senior High School, on September 27 launched a Maths Contest via Internet called ‘Vi-Olympic’ and introduced a program on Maths in English.

Nguyen Vinh Hien, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, said the Maths program in English is designed to help students with IT skills to access various forms of Mathematical problems in international contests.

‘Vi-Olympic’ is to help pupils get accustomed to the Internet and encourage them to learn mathematics better while creating a friendly learning environment for them. Maths in English program includes ten rounds designed as per international courses with adequate knowledge for primary and junior high school students.

The contest includes eight creative flash games and various forms of puzzles to help students review their knowledge in class as well as motivate them to solve mathematical problems. After the final entry winning rounds to be held in schools, districts, provinces and cities, students from all corners of the country will enter the national level contest.

The national level contest is expected to be held on April 25, 2014 for fifth, ninth and twelfth grade students. The Ministry will set up a scientific council to design the examination questions.

World Rabies Day observed in Vietnam

The Son La provincial People’s Committee collaborated with the country’s ministries for health and rural development on September 29 to hold a meeting for World Rabies Day 2013.

The event, in Son La city, was also joined by representatives of the World Health Organisation, the Food and Agriculture Association of the United Nations and over 1,000 local people.

The northern mountainous province of Son La has recorded 11 cases of rabies being spread to humans by dogs so far this year, 12 fewer than last year.

In the first eight months of 2013, rabies was recorded in 20 cities and provinces across the country, especially in mountainous and midland areas where there have been thousands of cases and many people have received vaccinations.

Meanwhile, rabies spread by dogs has claimed the lives of 74 people this year who were not vaccinated or did not receive treatment quickly enough after being bitten by a rabid dog.

According to Professor Nguyen Tran Hien, Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and head of the management board of the rabies prevention project launched by the Health Ministry, the transmission of rabies from animals to humans can be prevented.

However, prevention measures against the disease have been neglected in Vietnam, he said, warning of the huge risk of disease transmission without good management of dogs.

Addressing the function, Vice Chairman of Son La Province’s People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Toa presented measures to eliminate the disease by 2020.

They included improved dog management and more education on how to prevent rabies being spread by dogs. Advice included keeping dogs on a lead or muzzled when on the street and ensuring the animals are vaccinated.

Rabies remains a major concern worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people every year.

World Rabies Day was officially launched in 2007, aiming to raise awareness about the public health impact of human and animal rabies.

Hanoi youth join blood donation festival

Thousands of young people in the capital city of Hanoi flocked to Cau Giay Park for a blood donation festival on September 29.

The event, launched by the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion and the Hanoi Youth Blood Donation Mobilisation Association, was expected to collect more than 1,000 units of blood.

Chu Hop Nhat, the association’s president, highlighted the scarcity of the O blood group for medical treatment in blood banks across the city.

The festival encouraged people with this blood type to donate as a good deed to the community, demonstrating the tradition of mutual affection and assistance of Vietnamese people, he said.

A wide range of activities were also held during the event, including exchanges between university students, volunteers and clubs in the city, and art performances.

Hanoi increases family doctor centres

Hanoi will set up 20 family doctor centres for the 2013-2015 period, with the aim of improving healthcare services for local people and reducing patient density in central hospitals.

Since August last year, the Hanoi Department of Health (HDH) has carried out a pilot model at a clinic in the outlying district of Dong Anh, providing more effective medical examinations for hundreds of patients, many of whom are suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, tuberculosis and cancer.

Under the model, the communal clinic has been equipped with digital blood pressure monitors and blood analysis instruments to improve the quality of diagnosis.

This year, the department will continue to apply the model at two clinics in the inner district of Tu Liem.

KOICA increases assistance to Vietnam

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is speeding up a number of development projects in Vietnam following President Park Geun Hye’s recent visit to Hanoi.

KOICA Vice President Jang Hyun Sik told Tien Phong news wire that together with humanitarian and poverty reduction campaigns, KOICA will focus on long-term objectives, including developing human resources for the information technology sector, enhancing judicial and medical capabilities, and developing a land-related information management system.

During President Park’s visit in September 2013, both countries agreed to step up the “Vietnam Happiness Programme”, a US$25 million non-refundable aid initiative to comprehensively develop Vietnam’s underdeveloped areas in line with the Republic of Korea’s New Villages Movement.

A pilot project was implemented in Vietnam ten years ago with KOICA support, and a memorandum of understanding was signed recently between KOICA and Quang Tri and Lao Cai provinces to undertake this initiative.

The two countries also signed an agreement to establish the Vietnam – Korea Institute of Science and Technology (V-KIST), using US$35 million non-refundable aid from KOICA.

Since its establishment in April 1991, KOICA has developed 44 offices around the world and sent approximately 4,500 volunteers abroad annually.

Its major goal is to support sustainable development and become involved in poverty reduction and humanitarian aid programmes in developing nations.

Improving Central Highlands human resources training

The Central Highlands needs high-quality human resources to implement socio-economic development projects to keep pace with other regions in the country.

The view was shared by experts attending a September 28 conference in the Central Highland province of Dak Lak’s Buon Ma Thuot City.

The Central Highlands, comprising Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong, boasts great economic potential that has yet to be harnessed effectively. Workforce deficiencies are a major reason barring regional development.

The Prime Minister issued a decision in 2011 aimed at developing education and vocational training in the Central Highlands and neighboring provinces over the 2011–2015 period.

However, improving human resource training remains a significant challenge.

The Central Highlands is currently home to only 20 universities and colleges, 15 associate professors, 103 doctorate graduates, 1,500 master degree holders, and 43,505 tertiary-educated people.

To make a breakthrough in training, delegates suggested tertiary education institutions be modernised, and more ethnic minority students be offered tertiary education services.

Regional universities should cooperate with others in the country to run courses majoring in areas in dire need in society such as civil engineering and pharmacy.

In addition, the regional provinces should help ethnic minority graduates find work and improve the quality of school teaching staff.

Dak Nong, Mondulkiri boost humanitarian cooperation

Leaders of Cambodia’s Mondulkiri province and Vietnam’s Dak Nong province held a September 27 exchange to share experiences in organising and implementing humanitarian initiatives.

The meeting reviewed recent humanitarian achievements and discussed the potential for future humanitarian cooperation.

Delegates also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on humanitarian and charitable activities carried out in a spirit of friendship and mutual respect.

The two provinces will coordinate in providing food and medical aid to local residents. They will also encourage voluntary blood donations and intend to improve community disaster prevention awareness.

Dak Nong province’s Red Cross Society allocated almost VND50 million to Mandulkiri’s humanitarian activities.

An Giang celebrates the Khmer’ Sen Dolta festival

The Mekong Delta province of An Giang has dispatched six delegations to 18 Buddhist pagodas, offering gifts to ethnic Khmer worshippers on their Sen Dolta Festival over September 25–28.

They visited a number of pagodas Thoai Son, Tinh Bien, Tri Ton, and Chau Thanh districts, extending greetings to Khmer representatives.

They applauded the positive contributions of Khmer, Kinh, Hoa and Cham citizens to An Giang’s socio-economic development in recent times.

They also expressed hopes the Khmer community will continue working closely together with local authorities to improve the lives of ethnic minorities.

Khmer representatives thanked the Party and State for providing infrastructure investment, educational assistance, and healthcare support that has lifted community living standards. The current annual per capita income of Khmer citizens averages almost VND20 million.

An Giang is home to over 90,000 ethnic Khmer citizens, accounting for 4.2% of the province’s population and 75% of its ethnic minority community.

The Khmer community lives off on agricultural production in the five districts of Tri Ton, Tinh Bien, Chau Thanh, Chau Phu and Thoai Son. They worship at 65 local pagodas.

Sen Dolta is the Khmer community’s second largest yearly festival celebrating a bumper harvest.

Belgium funds water supply project in Binh Dinh

A total of 84,000 people in seven communes in Phu Cat and Tuy Phuoc districts, the central province of Binh Dinh, have accessed to safe water as a new water supply facility was put into operation on September 27.

The facility, which sits in Cat Nhon commune, Phu Cat district, has a daily capacity of 5,600 cubic metres. It was built at a cost of more than VND104 billion (US$4.8 million) with over VND65 billion funded by the Belgian Government.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Ho Quoc Dung said the new facility is part of a water supply and hygiene project in BinhDinh under a cooperation programme between the two Governments.

The project, which lasts from August 2009 to July 2014, will cost a total of EUR8.95 million (US$12 million), with EUR7.5 million coming from Belgium.

It aims is to improve community health and living standards in An Nhon town and the districts of HoaiNhon, Phu My, Phu Cat, TuyPhuoc and Tay Son.

Laos, Vietnam coordinate martyr remains searches

The Lao government will continue supporting Vietnam’s Nghe An province in searching, collecting, and repatriating remains of volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Laos.

Kaensy Manivong, Deputy Head of the Laos Government’s Special Working Commission, made the commitment while receiving Le Xuan Dai, head of the Nghe An Special Working Mission in Vientiane on September 27.

He said with close coordination from the Nghe An commission, remains of approximately 12,000 Vietnamese martyrs have been located and reburied thus far.

This shows Vietnam’s tradition of “When drinking water, remember the source” and testifies to special relationship between Laos and Vietnam, he said.

For his part, Dai, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Nghe An provincial People Committee, thanked the Laos Party, State amd people for providing support to the Nghe An mission during the past years.

He also discussed plans for collecting martyr remains in the 2013–2014 dry season.

Fatherland Front pledges support for evangelical church

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan has pledged the VFF’s continued support for the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North) to make more contributions to national development.

During the September 27 working session with the church, Nhan, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, hailed its efforts over the past years, hoping the church will continue guiding its followers to well perform both their citizenship and religious responsibilities.

He said he hopes that the forthcoming 34th General Assembly of the Church, scheduled for October 2 in Hanoi with the expected participation of 500 delegates, will be a success.

Pastor Nguyen Huu Mac, Head of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), said the church currently has 950 smaller organisations with 150,000 followers and 155 pastors in 27 localities.

The church has set up the School of Bible and Theology in Hanoi, and the first course opened this month with 25 students, he said.

As a member of the VFF, the church has actively responded to movements launched by the organisation, such as those to support the poor and build new-style rural areas.

From 2008-2012, the church raised more than VND4 billion VND for charity, he added.

Actions called to protect girls

The Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam held a seminar in Hanoi on September 27 highlighting the necessity of joint actions to protect girls.

VWU Vice President Tran Thi Huong cited statistics of the General Office for Population and Family Planning that in 2012, only 100 girls were born for every 112.3 boys. If no change is made, 10% of male adults in Vietnam will not be able to find partners by 2035.

The alarming situation is the result of a backward mindset of valuing men above women, which leads to gender inequality, negative impact on the population structure and more pressure on women while causing many other social corollaries, she said.

Meanwhile, Le Thi Phuong Thuy, advisor from the Women Development Centre, said more than 600 women that have suffered from domestic violence have come to the centre since it was established in 2007, many of whom have burdened severe physical and mental pressure for not having baby boys.

Participants at the event also discussed measures to eradicate male chauvinism in society and pointed out practical activities to protect girls so that they are treated equally.

ADB-funded project improves health of ethnic, migrant children

A project financed by the Asia Development Bank (ADB) has helped improve health and nutrition for under-3-year-old children of ethnic minorities and poor migrant workers in central Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces and southern Binh Duong province.

The Community-based Early Childhood Care and Development project has been carried out by the General Office of Population and Family Planning under the Health Ministry since 2008.

At a recent workshop to review its outcomes, Director of the project Tran Van Chien said that the rate of malnourished undersized children in the target localities has dropped from 30.3% to 17.5%. The proportion of those who are underweight has been reduced from 43.3% to 31.8%.

After five years, the project has upgraded 32 day-care facilities for children in 10 communes with a high concentration of migrant workers and 85 nursery schools in 26 ethnic communes, and equipped them with educational toys.

It has also added nutrition supplementation, breastfeeding and reproductive healthcare activities to the malnutrition prevention programme, as well as working to enhance childcare and education awareness among local authorities and the community.

ADB said authorised agencies can learn from this project to build childcare and development strategies, and to improve care for ethnic minority children.

Vietnam commits to disabled people rights

Vietnam will increase regional cooperation to promote and realize disabled people’s rights.

Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen reiterated Vietnam’s commitment at a regional conference in Hanoi on August 27 reviewing the ASEAN project “Improving the Quality of Life of People with Disabilities.”

She said at present Vietnam has 6.7 million citizens with disabilities, accounting for nearly 8% of its total population and the figure continues to rise.

The country has carried out a range of recent activities at national and regional levels aimed at expanding disabled people’s involvement in all facets of society and fulfilling the Millennium Development Goal obligations regarding rights for disabled people.

It is currently implementing the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for persons with disabilities, the 2013–2022 Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, and the ASEAN declaration on the enhancement of the role and participation of disabled people in ASEAN community.

However, Vietnam’s disability advocacy suffers from the limited resources allocated to social welfare projects still expected to serve millions of constituents.

Minister Chuyen hoped to receive more assistance for the disabled and affirmed that Vietnam will soon adopt the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as soon as possible.

The conference was organised by the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD) and the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

Source: VEF/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri