Latest Foreign Assistance Briefs

The Australian non-governmental organization Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) will fund about VND8 billion ($381,000) for a comprehensive eye care project in Vietnam’s southern province of Vinh Long from 2013 to 2016. An agreement to this effect was signed by Director of the provincial Health Department Tran Van Ut and FHF Vietnam Country Manager Huynh Tan Phuc in Vinh Long city on Nov 22. The project will help the local health sector improve infrastructure to offer high-quality eye care services for the locals and to reduce the rate of blindness. During the 2013-2016 period, it will expand to the city and all eight districts in the province. Since 2009, the FHF has helped train 900 doctors, technicians and nurses on initial eye cares, developed infrastructure for treating common eye ailments and presented equipment to five districts. (vov.vn Nov 22).The French Government has provided central Danang City with an aid package worth EUR136,000 ($174,000) for carrying out a program to tackle climate change. The Agency for Development of France (AFD) and the municipal administration finalized the deal at a signing ceremony in the city on November 21. The program, to be implemented between now and next September, will help the city plan emissions reductions and improve management skills for local officials working in the field. It will help Da Nang towards its goal of becoming a green city by 2020. In the 2006-2012 period, AFD provided Vietnam with 342 million EUR for 12 projects and development programs that aim to cope with climate change and adapt to climate change impacts. (Vietnamplus.vn Nov 22).Tuoi Tre newspaper, HCM City Youth Union and Amway Vietnam organized the ‘Prevention of Early School Drop-out 2012-2013’ scholarship award ceremony for 150 poor, hard-working secondary and high-school students based in five outskirts districts of HCMC at the Youth Cultural House last week. The students of Can Gio, Nha Be, Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon and Cu Chi received scholarships worth VND2.7 million each in cash plus gifts, with a total sponsorship value at VND562 million. On the occasion of Vietnam’s Teacher’s Day today, ten awards worth VND4 million each were handed to ten outstanding teachers for their devotion and support to the students. “We would like to be a long-term partner of Tuoi Tre in bringing the opportunities for the younger generation to have a better future and dedicated teachers who helped the students excel in their studies,” said How Kam Chiong, Amway Vietnam’s general director. To date, the program has awarded more than 1,000 scholarships totaling VND4 billion to secondary and high-school students in order to help prevent them from leaving school too early. (thesaigontimes.vn Nov 20).Diageo Vietnam has handed over VND417 million (around $20,000) to the Saigon Times Foundation (STF) under the Saigon Times Group for student scholarships and research. At the ceremony held in Halong, Quang Ninh, general manager of Diageo Vietnam Stephane Gripon said the scholarship program STF-Voyager Hanh trinh tien phong mo loi aimed to encourage the pioneering spirit of Vietnamese youth. Fifty percent of the money will be spent on scholarships while the rest is for student research. A number of poor students with a good academic record will receive a scholarship worth VND10 million for the school-year. Each project will be sponsored a maximum VND100 million based on expenses. “Diageo Vietnam’s sponsorship to STF will help us implement more projects for talented students nationwide,” said Pham Phu Ngoc Trai, chairman of the STF sponsorship council, at the event. (thesaigontimes.vn Nov 20)