Hanoi’s fund for the poor raised 55 billion VND during an arts performance program on October 7. Addressing the event, Chairman of the Hanoi chapter of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee Dao Van Binh said many businesses have contributed to the fund despite the economic downturn. In 2011, the fund and other social welfare programs raised more than 200 billion VND, helping repair and upgrade almost 4,700 houses and offering low-interest loans to 14,000 households and individuals. The city now still sees as many as 113,000 families that need assistance to escape poverty, Binh added. In order to reach the target of reducing the poverty rate among households to below 2 percent by 2015, the municipal authority is calling organizations, enterprises and individuals to continue supporting the fund in the coming time. (vietnamplus.vn Oct 8)
