Poor people to be given storm-resistant houses

Photo: VOV

The Vice President of the Quang Ngai Red Cross, Le Thi Thu, said the houses, designed by the French organisation Development Workshop France (DWF), were built in Binh Son, Mo Duc and Tu Nghia districts at a total cost of VND4.5 billion.

Construction was funded by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through the Vietnam Red Cross, and the Quang Ngai Red Cross also contributed VND30 million.  

Up to now, 650 houses have been built in seven cities and provinces at a total cost of VND19.5 billion.

PM guarantees food supplies for flood victims

The Government will ensure sufficient food for people in flood-stricken central provinces and request local authorities supply prompt relief to people in need, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while visiting the hardest-hit central province of Ha Tinh on October 20.

While visiting and presenting gifts to households in Huong Khe district, which reported a total loss of over 700 billion VND with 22 communes submerged, PM Dung extended deep sympathy to people in flooded areas, especially the victims’ families.

He said, “the Party and State always look towards the central people and will seek every measure to help them quickly overcome the consequences of national disasters and normalise their lives.”

The Government leader urged the three provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Nghe An to continue search and rescue work, provide food for flood victims and mobilise all resources to help repair houses and prevent diseases.

“If any province lets people in flooded areas go hungry, its leaders will be responsible to the Party and State,” he said.

Ha Tinh has so far reported 21 deaths, one missing, 26 injured and over 175,000 houses submerged with a total loss of nearly VND 5.4 trillion (US$270 million).

The PM has decided to provide the affected provinces with VND660 billion from the State budget and 11,000 tonnes of rice from the national reserve to overcome the flood consequences.

The National Committee for Search and Rescue and the Ministry of National Defence have mobilised over 19,000 soldiers, police and militia, 392 motor-boats, one helicopter, seven electric generators and five tonnes of instant noodles and dry provisions to the central region.

On October 20, many agencies nationwide, including the Office of the State President, and National Assembly deputies, contributed money to the disaster fund. Ho Chi Minh City raised over US$18 billion for the victims.

Overseas Vietnamese have extended deep sympathies to central flood victims. Those living in the US State of Texas have donated US$50,000 for people affected by the historical floods over the past 60 years in central Vietnam.

To date, 11 international organisations have pledged of some US$450,000 emergency aid for Vietnamese flood victims.

According to a report by the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, by October 20, the flood death toll rose to 46, including 16 in Nghe An, 21 in Ha Tinh, eight in Quang Binh and one in Thanh Hoa.
The floods also left 21 missing and 18 others injured.

Vietnam, RoK promote cooperation in gender equality

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on gender equality cooperation was signed in Hanoi on October 21 by Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and the Republic of Korea’s Minister of Gender Equality and Family Affairs Paik Hee Young.

Under the MoU, the two sides will draw up plans, programmes, and national strategies for promoting gender equality in politics, economics, culture, and social affairs. They will work together to increase the professional capacity of staff in charge of gender equality, women’s advancement, and related-issues.

They also agreed to increase cooperation in this field by exchanging delegations and experts, organising seminars and forums, carrying out specific projects, and sharing information and professional skills.

VN Assemblies of God holds first general assembly

The Assemblies of God of Vietnam (AGV) convened its first general assembly in Ho Chi Minh City on October 20, drawing the participation of 700 dignitaries and followers from 39 cities and provinces nationwide.

The event was attended by representatives from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, the municipal Fatherland Front Committee, the local Committee for Religious and Ethnic Affairs, and a number of Protestant organisations from Vietnam and overseas.
The Assemblies of God of Vietnam was granted a certificate of operation in September 2009, becoming the 10^th Protestant organisation recognised in Vietnam. It has now expanded operations to 43 cities and provinces across the country.

At the first general assembly, the AGV is expected to approve its charter, build an operational plan and elect a general management committee for the 2010-2012 term.

GIP-ESTHER helps people with HIV/AIDS

GIP-ESTHER is an aid agency of the French government that cares for people with AIDS and other infectious diseases in developing countries.

The agency has agreed to provide EUR53.000 to Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi for the care and treatment of HIV-infected people from now to June, 2011. 

The project will train public health staff to treat people with HIV/AIDS, provide medical equipment and medicine to patients and work to prevent infectious diseases.  

GIP-ESTHER will supervise and assess the project.

Canon donates books to disadvantaged schools

Canon Singapore in Vietnam will present more than 40,000 books to ten primary and junior secondary schools in disadvantaged areas.

Two beneficiary schools in the northern province of Bac Giang received their books on October 19, marking the launch of the company’s “Green Library for Kids” programme. Eight other schools in Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Ben Tre and Tien Giang will receive books later this month.
Canon will also give each school two bookcases and 100 pictorial books on Vietnam’s natural and environment.

VNN/VOV