Vietnam PM Oks $48M to Support Ethnic Minority Groups by 2020

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a VND1 trillion ($48 million) project to improve living conditions for four disadvantaged ethnic groups in the northern region from now until 2020. The 10-year project is aimed to set up essential infrastructure, better their material and spiritual life, preserve their cultural values and protect their environment. Beneficiaries are 17,800 ethnic people in the four groups of Mang, La Hu, Cong and Co Lao in nine districts of Lai Chau, Dien Bien and Ha Giang provinces. Most of them live along the border in remote mountainous areas where poor households account for over 60% of the population, illiteracy in national language of Vietnamese makes up 50%, and the rate of child marriage stands at 80% with an average age of 15-17. Under the project, 70% of local villages will have transport, electricity, water supply systems and schools and 50%of the communes’ health centers will be staffed with more doctors and pediatricians by 2015. Chairman of Ha Giang Province’s Committee for Ethnic Minorities Long Huu Phuc said “Transport infrastructure is the key to improving living standards for ethnic groups-electricity, education, and economic progress will follow.”
Earlier, the PM also gave a nod to a VND4.15 trillion project to build and upgrade boarding-schools for ethnic students nationwide between 2011 and 2015. (Vietnam News Oct 12 p5, baovanhoa.vn Oct 10)