(VOVworld) – The Vietnamese government has effectively implemented the policy of helping poor people to have an enjoyable Tet, given the poverty rate accounts for about 6% of the Vietnamese population. Along with government support, the community has actively engaged in humanitarian activities to bring a happy Tet for needy people and realize the social security policy.
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| Program "Making Chung cakes for poor people to enjoy Tet" |
Vietnam’s poverty reduction results have been acknowledged internationally. But Vietnam still has nearly 1.8 million poor households, 1.4 million near-poor households, and a large number of disadvantaged families. Activities to care for needy people and social beneficiary families during Tet have been implemented annually.
Corporate implementation from the central and the local level
To realize the policy of “All people have a happy Tet”, the Prime Minister has asked the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and People’s Committees to support poor people and social beneficiary families since the beginning of the year.
MOLISA has spent 20 million VND to prepare Tet gifts for revolutionary contributors.
The Ministry of Finance will distribute thousands of tons of rice from the national reserve to support disadvantaged people. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Deputy Director of Social Protection Department of the MOLISA, said: “Lonely, disadvantaged, and poor people have received special care from the Party and State. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs has implemented two programs including occasional Tet gifts for the needy and regular allowance for social beneficiaries.”
Besides assistance from central government, the provinces have increased their support level between 10 to 20% compared to last year: Ho Chi Minh city by 10 million USD; Binh Duong province, 7 million USD; and Hanoi, 11 million USD. Pham Van Thanh, Head of the Labor and Employment Policy Office of the Hanoi Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, says: “The city has programs to support disadvantaged families and revolutionary contributors. Besides Tet gifts from the central government, the city provides 25 USD and 15 USD per person to a total of 70,000 revolutionary contributors.”
Social engagement
Funds for paying debts of gratitude come from the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Red Cross Society, and domestic and international non-governmental organizations who also have programs to care for the poor. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Deputy Director of the Social Protection Department, says: “Social organizations, enterprises, and kindhearted people have also provided Tet gifts and cash for disadvantaged people, such as lonely and elderly people. The Association of the Elderly, organizations for people with disabilities, the Red Cross Society, and non-governmental organizations have raised funds for Tet humanitarian programs.”
Enterprises, supermarkets, and industrial zones have also distributed thousands of Tet gifts to needy people. Nguyen Thi Hien, Deputy Director of Co.op Mart Da Nang, says: “We bring essential goods and special products for Tet to poor, remote areas. We’ve reduced prices between 5 to 20% compared to prices in urban areas.”
Tens of thousands of bus tickets were given to workers and poor students to return to their home villages. Nguyen Duc Tien, Secretary of Da Nang University’s Youth Union, says: “The Youth Union and Student Association of Da Nang University have bought bus and train tickets for poor students. Besides our budget of about 3.000 USD to buy 300 tickets, we have raised funds from society.”
The involvement of all administrative levels, social organizations, and individuals illustrates the sense of unity of the Vietnamese and the effectiveness of the government’s social security policy.