Latest Foreign Assistance Briefs

- The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has recently handed over the training equipments to the Lien Hao Kindergarten in Kien Thiet Commune, Tien Lang District, Hai Phong City. This support is within the project on improvement of pre-school training environment at Lien Hao Kindergarten proposed by a KOICA volunteer, Ms. Ahn Ji Ye. Ms. Ahn has rendered her voluntary service here since September 2010 and scheduled to finish her term in July 2012. During her time here, she directly cooperates with the kindergarteners to take care and teach children, shares with them the happiness and difficulty. Recognizing the kindergarten’s lack of teaching equipments, Ms. Ahn has submitted her support proposal to KOICA to purchase several necessary teaching aids such as tables, chairs, in-door and out-door toys, grinder worth $10,000. (July 01)

- The Canon Vietnam Co. Ltd will build friendship schools in four poor districts this year as part of the “Canon friendship school chain” project. To this effect, Canon Vietnam signed a cooperation agreement in Hanoi on June 30. The four beneficiary districts include Chiem Hoa of northern Tuyen Quang province, Lac Son of northern Hoa Binh province, Tan Ky of central Nghe An province and Huong Khe of central Ha Tinh province. Canon Vietnam will help the districts build primary schools and kindergartens, and provide bookcases, teachers’ tables and desks for the schools with a total investment of 90,000 USD. In addition, the company will present teaching and learning equipment to four other friendship schools built earlier by the project. As part of the “Canon friendship school chain” project, Canon Vietnam will kick off a pilot program to provide 100 bicycles for good students from poor families in northern Bac Giang province. (www.qdnd.vn July 01)

- The British American Tobacco-Vinataba Joint Venture Co. Ltd. on Thursday donated 206,000 seedlings worth over VND140 million to organizations and individuals for reforestation in the southern province of Dong Nai. According to the company, this was part of the afforestation program launched by BAT-Vinataba Joint Venture for this year with a total number of 930,000 seedlings like eucalyptus, acacia, khaya, hopea, shorea and some others. After 11 years of executing the program, the joint venture has supplied nearly 25 million seedlings worth over VND8 billion for afforestation in Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan, and Gia Lai provinces. (thesaigontimes.vn June 30)

- The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has provided the Vietnam – Korea Friendship Clinic under Saint Paul Hospital in Hanoi with three ultrasound machines totaling $90,000 in a bid to better healthcare for local people. The devices include one portable ultrasound, one thyroid and cardiac ultrasound; and one musculoskeletal ultrasonography. Addressing the granting ceremony on June 27, Resident Representative of KOICA Vietnam Office Kim In said that these devices are expected to improve the quality of medical diagnosis and treatment of the center. Especially, the portable ultrasound will enable mobile health check-ups. In 2006-2007, KOICA funded $1.3 million to upgrade the clinic into a four-storey building and also provided non-refundable aid for the hospital’s project on medical equipment provision and voluntary doctor dispatch. South Korean doctors plan to provide free-of-charge surgeries for people with cleft lips and palate deformities in Hanoi and adjacent areas from Oct 11-18, 2012. (Quan Doi Nhan Dan - People’s Army June 27)