HCM CITY — The Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee in HCM City and five political-social organisations and associations have signed a cooperation agreement on a sustainable poverty reduction programme.

The city’s Labour Union, Farmers Association, Women’s Union, War Veteran Association and Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union all signed the agreement.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on September 8, vice chairwoman of the city’s Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee, Triệu Lệ Khánh, said the two sides would implement a coordinated plan and disseminate information about the State’s policies and guidelines on its sustainable poverty reduction programme in the 2016-20 period to departments, agencies and sectors at all levels.

The aim is to find more resources to help poor households, near-poor households and households facing difficulties.

Scholarships and learning tools for children, health insurance cards, vocational training, and monthly allowances for households in special difficulties will be provided, as well as new houses for disadvantegeous families.

The use and management of State and social capital will be more closely supervised and evaluated at all levels.

At the ceremony, a total of 100 poor households, near-poor households, and policy beneficiary families in HCM City were given equipment and tools to help them increase their incomes.

Among the items were industrial sewing machines, overlock sewing machines, motorbikes, electric bicycles, motorbike repair kits, clock repair tool kits, manicure kits, and vending carts for selling lottery tickets, food and drinks.

Lượng Thị Oanh, 36, who lives in Bình Chánh District, said she must stay home and take care of her children aged 8 and 2, while her disabled husband tries to sell lottery tickets to earn income for the family.

“I was given a lock machine that will help me work at home and earn more money,” she said. — VNS