Authorities of Vietnam’s central province of Phu Yen have launched a campaign to build 400 charity houses for poor families by next July. The move is aimed at stabilizing lives and ensuring social security for local households, the Nhan Dan newspaper reported Nov 12. Up to 10 million people in Vietnam are now living under the poverty line, particularly those in mountainous and remote areas. The Southeast Asian country targets to reduce the number of poor households to less than 9.5% this year from 11% in 2009. (Nhan Dan –The People Nov 12 p7)
