A: We’d like to say hello today to Mogire Machuki of Kenya. In an email to VOV this week, he wrote: “Greetings from Kisii Kenya, my pleasure connecting with VOV, it’s incredible, amazing. Your website is always rich in ideas and I’m so thankful for discovering VOV after so many years. Cheers”.

B: From Pakistan, Shahzad Shabbir, wrote: “Dear friends at VOV- English. Thank you so much. It’s always encouraging in listening to your program. In the past weeks, dear friends at VOV - English Section, there were many interesting programs that caught my attention. But I also spent much time reading online content on the VOV website. I thank you for your great program”.

A: Mitul Kansal of India and many other listeners said they are excited to know the results of VOV’s contest “What do you know about Vietnam”.

B: Well, we have received entries from listeners in several countries. They are all very impressive. Our jury board is now looking hard at them. We will announce the winners by September 7, 2015 when we celebrate the 70^th founding anniversary of Radio the Voice of Vietnam.

A: Mitul Kansal asked about Vietnam’s efforts to reduce poverty and whether medical aid is free for the poorest people in Vietnam. According to the ADB Country Partnership Strategy in Vietnam in the 2012-2015 period, Viet Nam has a remarkable record of reducing poverty since 1993. The poverty rate, based on the cost of food basket providing a daily intake of 2,100 calories per person and a few nonfood expenditures, dropped from 58.1% in 1993 to 14.5% in 2008. This means about 43 million people have risen out of poverty. According to a 2010 survey of living standards in Viet Nam, the poverty rate based on the methodology of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) fell from 18.1% in 2004 to 15.5% in 2006, 13.4% in 2008, and 10.7% in 2010.

B: The official poverty rate for 2006–2010 based on the methodology of MOLISA, and including price escalation, measured the proportion of people living below the official poverty line of 220,000 VND per person per month in urban areas and 170,000 VND per person in rural areas in 2004, 260,000 VND and 200,000 VND in 2006, and 370,000 VND and 290,000 VND in 2008.

A: According to the 2010 MOLISA National Survey on Poor and Near Poor Households using the new poverty line, the poverty rate in 2010 was 14.2%. The results of this survey will guide the implementation of social protection policies for 2011–2015. The new poverty line for 2011–2015 is 500,000 VND per person per month in urban areas and 400,000 VND per person per month in rural areas.

A: Despite the remarkable record of reducing poverty in absolute and nationwide terms, challenges remain. Poverty varies significantly across regions. It is low in the southeast, Red River and Mekong deltas, and along the south central coast but high in the northern mountains, north central coast, and central highlands.

B: Viet Nam has made good progress toward achieving its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Three MDG targets concerning extreme poverty, hunger, and the incidence of malaria and other diseases have been achieved, and another four completion of primary schooling, gender equality in education, reduced under 5 mortality, and reduced maternal mortality are likely to be achieved ahead of schedule. However, other targets concerning HIV/AIDs and environmental sustainability may not be achieved on time.

A: Vietnam’s efforts to reduce poverty have received strong support from international organizations like the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank, and international donors.

B: Listening to VOV’s program on July8 from 12:30 to 12:58 UTC on the frequency of 12020 kz, Masaru Sekimoto of Japan rated SINPO at 45333. In his letter to VOV this week, Masaru wrote: “I’m glad to catch your program. I have a good time listening to your Saturday program. I can learn many things about Vietnam. I wish peace for Vietnam”

A: SB Sharma of India sent us his feedback on our story about the Vinh Moc tunnel made in Vietnam during the war. He wrote: “It was a surprise to learn that the tunnels stretched for 42 kilometers and contained a maternity hospital where 17 children were born. They must be very special children and surprised to find out their birth place. Thanks for providing such an interesting and informative topic for us. You must have worked hard to collect the information and provide it to us. It inspires me to learn more about Vietnam. Thanks once again for your creative and inspiring work”.

B: Kari Kivekas of Finland listened to VOV’s program on July 10 on the frequency of 7280 and 9730 khz from 2030 to 2057 UTC and rated SINPO at 33232 on 7280 and 34333 on 9730 khz. He wrote: “I was at my summer cottage close to the town of Jyvaskyla in the central part of Finland and it was really nice to get a signal from Vietnam. It was rather cold and rainy outside so listening to the radio was a good diversion during that kind of weather”.

A: Kari continued “Thank you very much for your programs. It is great that there are countries like Vietnam still transmitting on shortwave. The web is absolutely not enough. At our summer cottage with no internet connection, the only way to get a signal from a radio station is to catch it on air”.

B: This week, we received an email from Gerry Neumann in the UK. He wrote: “Despite my silence for several weeks, I still listen daily to VOV in English, beamed to Europe at 17UTC on 9625 khz. On July 25^th reception was 45434 with some distortion. As usual I listened on my Yaesu FRG 100 with a 10 m antenna. I enjoy all the features that are broadcast every day but I listened with special interest to the Domestic News. Thank you for bringing such high-quality programs to listeners every day. I will be making my annual visit to Vietnam from in early August and if I get a chance I will include a few days in Hanoi”.

A: Thank you Gerry and our other listeners for tuning in to our programs and sending us your feedback. We hope to meet you sometime soon in Hanoi.

B: On today’s program, we’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Amir Jameel of Pakistan, Jahangir Alam Manto, Kamal Hoassain and Juck Sherak of Bangladesh, Siddhartha Bhattachjee, Jayanta Chakrabarty, and Kanchan Chatterjee of India, George Viera of the US, and Yoshito Matsumoto of Japan.

B: We’ll confirm your reports with QSL cards soon and give you VOV’s latest frequency list. We welcome your feedback at: the English section, Overseas Service, Radio the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Good bye until next time.