The Australian Government has provided VND545 million ($25,817) for three small-scale projects in the central provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa. The projects include a concrete bridge in Ninh Thuan, an alum water-processing system in Binh Thuan, and a water treatment plant in Khanh Hoa province. The three initiatives are among 13 projects in the southern provinces funded with a total of $137,982 from the Direct Aid Program (DAP) in the financial year 2012-2013. The projects cover a range of areas such as community health, education and small-scale infrastructure. DAP is a small, flexible grants program for development activities, which aims to reduce hardship in low-income communities in southern Vietnamese provinces. Applications to the Australian Consulate General for grants under the 2013-2014 DAP will close on October 11. (vov.vn Oct 1)
