The figure wasreported at a conference organised by the committee in Hanoi onDecember 27. The money was used to fund the repair of 84,900 dilapidatedhouses for poor families and the provision of free health services,services and gifts for underprivileged people.
Inaddition, the VFF’s Fund for the Poor also mobilised 6 trillion VND (285million USD) in the form of social welfare programmes.
The total money raised by the fund during the past 12 years since itslaunch has come to 8.5 trillion VND (400 million USD). More than 1.3million poor households in 6,453 communes in 17 cities and provincesnationwide have got new houses, and millions of poor people havereceived assistance in various forms thanks to the campaign.
Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh said thecampaign is in line with the Party and State’s major policy of povertyreduction and social welfare as well as with the national tradition ofsolidarity and mutual support. He added that it will ensure politicaland social stability as well as defence and security.
The deputy PM also asked ministries and departments to actively workwith the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) to reduce poverty and care forthe poor.
Next year, the VFF will increaseeducational campaigns and coordinate with authorities at all levels tomobilise more resources for the Fund for the Poor as well as for socialwelfare programmes and the National Target Programme for PovertyReduction.-VNA