In their efforts to effectively implement the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2021-2025 period, authorities at local level are rolling out such practical measures as job placement services, livelihood assistance grants, loan support, housing support, and educational support that have brought great benefits to the needy.

A representative from Cam Le District’s Khue Trung Ward Chapter of the Da Nang Fatherland Front Committee handing over a new house to a local poor family. Photo: Local sources.

Helping poor families settle in new houses

As 2023 draws to a close, Mr. Le Hoa's family living in Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District is beaming with the joy of a dream coming true, a new house built for his family thanks to financial aid from local authorities and social organizations.

Amid the fresh scent of paint, Mr. Hoa elatedly shard, "This house was built with financial assistance from authorities at all levels and local organizations, in which, VND 50 million came from the ‘For the Poor’ Fund of Son Tra District while VND 60 million was donated by the Da Nang Lottery Company. Without their assistance, we never could this new home."

Mr. Hoa's family is living in poverty, and faces financial hardship as both he and his wife could no longer earn any sort of income as they become too old to work. The new house is a precious gift providing stability and the motivation for them to strive for a better life.

Son Tra District has identified stable housing support  for the poor as its key task to alleviate poverty in line with the district’s motto of ‘Stable housing helps poor people have a better life’ as stable housing will give them extra strength to improve their living conditions, and get out of poverty.

In another act of support, authorities in Khue Trung Ward, Cam Le District recently handed over a new house to Mrs. Ngo Thi Thin whose house was badly degraded. She had expressed her wish for a new home during a dialogue with local authorities so that she could have a stable place to live and to strive to improve her living conditions. Therefore, the Khue Trung Ward authority asked for cash donation worth VND 60 million from the Da Nang Power Company LLC to fund the construction of her new house.

The Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, said that between 2021 and 2023, the city has spent VND 30.15 billion on building 248 new homes and repaired 961 others for poor families. Additionally, the city providing grants totaling over VND 21.7 billion for 31,415 poor households to help them pay their electricity bills, thereby assisting them to ease their financial burdens and stabilize their lives.

Specialized support policies for the poor

In its efforts to achieve its goal of sustainable poverty reduction, Da Nang has introduced a range of specialized policies tailored to support poor households in the 2021 – 2023 period. Included was  loan support worth VND 171.79 billion in total from the Da Nang branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policy for 3,677 poor households, near-poor households, and 'newly escaped from poverty' ones in a bid to help them develop their production and business activities to improve their living conditions and escape the poverty trap.

Ms. Tran Thi Lai, a resident of the Huong Lam Village, Hoa Khuong Commune, Hoa Vang District, is an example of effective use of bank loan to get out of poverty. With a loan from Hoa Vang District branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policy, she started a small-scale mushroom farm. Till date, her farm has been developed into a larger-scale one, and generated annual revenue of hundreds of millions of dongs, as well as created employment opportunities for many local residents.

Furthermore, the city has spent VND 106.48 billion on granting health insurance cards for poor, near-poor, and 'newly escaped from poverty' households. Financial donation from organizations and individuals have gone to pay for medical checkups and treatment for 23,463 poor people. The city has also supported 20% of the total medical costs for the needy apart from their health insurance benefits. Besides, a monthly allowance of between VND 300,000 and VND 500,000 is granted to people in especially difficult circumstances, social protection beneficiaries, vulnerable groups, and those who suffer from a life-threatening illnesses, and other eligible people.

Moreover, the city has waived or reduced tuition fees totaling over VND 31.3 billion for nearly 50,820 poor students. Additionally, VND 23.73 billion which has been raised from social organizations has gone to help 31,525 students from poor families in an effort to help them achieve good academic performance.

Reported by LAM PHUONG – Translated by THAO TRANG