Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hà Nội Nguyễn Sỹ Trường. Photo hanoimoi.vn

Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hà Nội Nguyễn Sỹ Trường spoke with Hà Nội Mới (New Hà Nội) online newspaper about the results of the city's Fund for the Poor campaign and the plan to improve the effectiveness of the fund to better take care of poor people during the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year).

Could you tell us about the results of the Month for the Poor campaign, which took place between October 17 and November 18?

With close coordination of people's committees at all levels, as of November 23, the Fund for the Poor has received more than VNĐ66 billion (US$2.6 million). Of that, some districts have achieved high results such as Long Biên with VNĐ3.6 billion ($145,270), Đống Đa VNĐ1.9 billion ($76.670), and Nam Từ Liêm VNĐ1.7 billion ($68,600).

The city's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has used the fund and mobilised businesses to support building houses, purchasing tools for production and business worth more than VNĐ20 billion ($807,100) to help poor, near-poor, and households in extreme difficulty in the city.

The committee has transferred VNĐ10 billion ($403,550) to the national Fund for the Poor to support poor households nationwide.  

The city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has helped build 302 houses worth VNĐ12.5 billion ($504,430), repair 78 houses worth VNĐ1.5 billion ($60,530), and give scholarships worth VNĐ1.9 billion ($76,670) to children of poor households, as well as gifts worth VNĐ9.5 billion ($383,370) for those in need.

What methods has the Vietnam Fatherland Front taken to achieve the results?

The Fund for the Poor campaign has been implemented in 2022 when the country's socio-economic situation is in the process of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. The city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has changed the way of mobilising resources from organisations and individuals.

The committee has publicised specific addresses of those in need of help and spread the good work to attract more and more businesses to participate in this meaningful work.

In particular, donators as well as the process of donating to disadvantaged people are publicised on mass media. We also receive products made by businesses and deliver them to the poor.

Every year, the city’s People's Committee and the city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee always coordinate to organise a live television programme to launch the Month for the Poor campaign. Thereby, advocacy work has always received the attention and active participation of agencies, organisations, businesses and people from all walks of life.

How has the Fund for the Poor been used to ensure it goes to the right people?

Along with the specific policies of the city, the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels of the city has had many activities to support the poor with two main tasks, including supporting settlements and providing sustainable livelihoods for people to get out of poverty.

The city's Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee is ready to receive support from businesses, benefactors, and people in various forms to support those in difficult circumstances to have a better life.

A woman prepares dinner at a house in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

The use of the city’s Fund for the Poor has been carried out in accordance with the regulations on mobilising, managing and using the donation fund of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

It focuses on supporting poor and near-poor households in building and repairing houses, supporting materials and tools of production in an attempt to alleviate their financial difficulties, improving their living standards, promoting the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance. The committees at grassroots levels has closely monitored the situation and found solutions suitable to the specific conditions of each locality, ensuring the two key tasks of sustainable poverty reduction and building new rural areas.

The city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee regularly conducts inspections of the management and use of the fund so that there are no losses or damages. The committee also encourages localities that have no poor households to support other localities.

What suggestions do you have to make the Month of the Poor and the Fund for the Poor campaigns more widespread?

Over the years, the city’s Party's Committee, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee have always considered the support of poor people a key task. Every year, the city has issued many specific policies to support poor people and those in difficult circumstances.

The committee coordinates with organisations, branches and sectors to work together in mobilising resources to help the poor. As a result, in recent years, the rate of poor households in the capital city has decreased rapidly. Currently, there are 36,120 poor households and over 30,000 near-poor households in the city.

To make the good deeds more widespread, the city’s committee will continue to coordinate with departments, branches and organisations at the same level to promote the meaning of the Month for the Poor and the Fund for the Poor campaigns.

At the same time, it will focus on reviewing the situation and needs of poor and near-poor households and families in extremely difficult circumstances in the locality to have specific support plans.

The management and use of the Fund for the Poor must comply with the provisions of the law. Units and individuals that are active in social security work and households that have made great efforts to escape poverty should be rewarded to encourage poverty alleviation in the city.

In the last month of this year, the city’s committee plans to take care of the poor for the upcoming Tết (Lunar New Year). — VNS