Vietnam Women's Union

At a conference to review the implementation of the programme’s second phase, on April 21 Minister - Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Giang Seo Phu said that by using more than 7 trillion VND from the State budget, the programme has enabled a number of basic infrastructure works, including electric works, roads, schools and clinics to be built for nearly 94 percent of communes in need.

Over 50 percent of the communes can now provide junior secondary education and 90 percent could accommodate pupils of primary school age. Also, all people in need were provided with pro bono legal advice.

Through the programme, over 1 million farming households were provided with seeds and animals for breeding and received training in more effective ways to farm, which has increased their awareness of modern farming techniques.

According to statistics, by the end of 2008, 110 out of 1,946 disadvantaged communes fulfilled the programme’s objectives.

Programme 135 has won both support from Vietnamese people and applause from international organisations. International donors pledged to provide 300 million USD for the programme, of which 118 million USD was transferred to its account.

Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said that Programme 135 represents the Party and State’s determination to target vulnerable groups in society, including nearly 10 million people who live in poor or remote communes.

The Deputy PM called for a concerted effort by all ministries, agencies and localities to speed up the improvement of people’s lives in underprivileged communes, helping to ensure equality among regions and areas.

Head of the Irish Embassy’s Development Board Sean Hoy, who is also the co-head of Programme 135’s development partner group, said that the next phase of the programme will focus on post-infrastructure investment.

He pledged a continued partnership with the Vietnamese government during this phase.

Also targeting disadvantaged groups in society, after being carried out for four years, national programme 134, has provided accommodation for 373,400 households, exceeding its set target.

Participants at the conference, however, admitted that the programme’s objectives on providing housing and cultivating land has only achieved a low rate of success due to limited land funds.

Measures to speed up the implementation of the two programmes for poor people in underprivileged areas and reduce the poverty figures were also discussed at the conference.