Social affairs

The proposed extension, until January 7, 2025, aims to help make more precise assessment of the effectiveness of the complex of ecotourism, entertainment, hotel, commercial, and goods transportation services, resorts, convention centers and related facilities in Ganh Dau commune, along with the pilot program, local authorities said. They noted the complex, operating since January 2019, has contributed to local socio-economic development. In particular, the casino has created jobs for 1,122 Vietnamese and 32 foreigners; attracted 240,560 visitors, including 156,533 Vietnamese; and paid 1.73 trillion VND (72.5 million USD) to the local budget. Kien Giang authorities held that this could be viewed as a tourism product helping Phu Quoc attract more domestic and foreign tourists in the time ahead. Its investor, the Phu Quoc Tourism Development and Investment JSC, has ensured strict and effective management of Vietnamese players at the casino along with demand for this service, they … [Read more...] about Extension proposed for pilot permission of Vietnamese at Phu Quoc casino

The program is co-organized by the Saigontourist Holding Company (Saigontourist Group), the Sponsoring Association for Poor Patients in Ho Chi Minh City, and the local authorities. At the event, the organizers presented 100 scholarships (4 million VND each) to students in Ho Chi Minh City. Previously, the organizers of the “Saigontourist Group for the community in 2022” program handed over 300 scholarships, worth VND one million each in Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province and 300 similar scholarships in Go Dau district, Tay Ninh province. The scholarships funds were raised from sponsors of the 16th Golf Tournament of Saigontourist Group for the Community. The scholarships are expected to help encourage needy and orphaned students to overcome hardships and achieve best results in the new 2022-2023 academic year. Translated by Trung Thanh … [Read more...] about Scholarships given to needy students in HCM City

At the ceremony, the organizing panel handed over 538 sets of multi-purpose life jackets to fishermen in Mui Ne ward (Phan Thiet city) and La Gi town (Binh Thuan province). The 417 remaining sets were given to the VRSC’s chapter in Binh Thuan. These sets will be granted to needy fishermen in Tuy Phong and Ham Thuan Nam districts as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the organizing panel guided fishermen to use multi-purpose life jackets while conducting fishing activities at sea. Speaking at the event, Mr. Nguyen Minh, Deputy Chairman of the Binh Thuan provincial People’s Committee underlined that the meaningful gifts helped fishermen to prevent incidents at sea and were a great source of spiritual encouragement for them to continue to go fishing offshore. In the coming time, he hoped that the VRCS, enterprises, and benefactors would stand side by side with the province in natural disaster prevention and control and socio-economic development. Translated by Quynh Oanh … [Read more...] about 1,000 life jackets presented to needy fishermen

Charity meals at hospitals partly help poor patients in Hanoi overcome difficulties. On a Sunday in September, at a house in alley No. 13 Minh Khai Street in Hai Ba Trung District, the fire was kindled in the kitchen of the “Hanoi 5,000-Dong Meal” club as usual. Yet the commemoration of over 300 weeks of volunteer cooking was special with a small tea table and a birthday cake to celebrate the 10th anniversary, as well as a cozy, heart-touching reunion between the generations of volunteers who have been part of the club. 10 years - a heart-warming journey Members of the “Hanoi 5,000-Dong Meal” Club hand over free lunch to poor patients at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. Photo: Hanoi 5,000-Dong Meal Club It was the first reunion between the generations of volunteers who have been with the “Hanoi 5,000-Dong Meal” club for different periods. Meeting again with Tran Le, owner of Hung Phuong Restaurant in Hoang Mai District, Bui Quang Long - the club founder and … [Read more...] about The 10-year journey of “Hanoi 5,000-Dong Meal”

The majority of plastics polluting Vietnam’s waterways are single-use, low-value items such as plastic bags, food containers, and straws, shows the WB’s “Vietnam: Plastic Pollution Diagnostics.” Plastic waste is by far the most abundant type of waste collected in river and coastal sites, accounting for 94% of the number of items and 71% by weight. “Rapid economic growth, urbanization, and changing lifestyles in Vietnam have led to a country-wide plastic pollution crisis,” said Carolyn Turk, WB Country Director for Vietnam. “This study shows that single-use plastic items make up a large portion of plastic pollution in Vietnam, and addressing their use will make a big difference.” An estimated 3.1 million tons of plastic waste is discharged on land in Vietnam, and at least 10% of this goes into the ocean every year. The Vietnam National Plastics Action Partnership said the amount of plastic in waterways can more than double by 2030 if the country’s current waste collection, … [Read more...] about WB recommends road-map for phasing out single-use plastics in Vietnam

Four years ago, 30-year-old Ly Mi Vang traveled 2,000 km from the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang to the southern industrial hub of Binh Duong, looking for a job. Not educated, he could only get manual work. His firm, which manufactures sofas, has frequent overtime work, allowing him to earn over VND9 million ($377.12) a month. He sent VND5 million every month to his family back home. When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, Vang lost his job. He and several others from his hometown managed to catch buses to return home before travel restrictions were imposed. Vang has received no financial support from the government. "I was very scared. I thought I would stay home since, but there's no job available in my hometown," he said. Vang's peers would often seek jobs at border gates, but due to Covid-19 impacts and China imposing travel restrictions at the border, those jobs were gone as well. So people looked for work in factories. Constantly vulnerable Since the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s cheap labor advantage doesn’t come cheap

Cuong* of Long An Province, who works in Japan, recalls: "The year I left my second daughter was five years old. I knew my wife was lonely. She was a vendor and met many male customers, but I did not suspect she was having an affair." One day, when he video-called his wife, he found her face swollen. She confessed to having an affair with a married man and said she’d been beaten by the latter’s wife. "I was shocked and upset. I persuaded her to think about our children, stop the affair and take better care of them. She apologized and promised not to do it again." But his wife broke her promise and his heart, having another affair. Besides all the money he’d sent home, Cuong also ended up losing his wife. The breakup of a family as a result of a husband or a wife going abroad to work is not rare in Vietnam. In the central province of Ha Tinh, in just one commune, Cuong Gian in Nghi Xuan District, over 200 couples have divorced after one partner went abroad to work. The … [Read more...] about Out of sight, in a bind: labor export breaks families

The National Youth Entrepreneurship Forum 2022 About 550 delegates attended the National Youth Entrepreneurship Forum 2022 on October 1, 2022. Focused on youth startups and economic recovery, this year's forum aims to promote entrepreneurship and develop the country, creating an environment for Vietnamese youth to participate in post-pandemic development. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment (MPI) Tran Duy Dong spoke about the advantages and disadvantages the country had in attracting investment, including foreign investment for innovation and startups. He said the country was geopolitically stable and considered a safe, potential and attractive investment destination. With the attention of the government in improving the business investment environment and the consensus of businesses, the investment environment of Vietnam is becoming more and more open and transparent, creating favourable conditions for investors. "With macro-economic stability, controlled inflation, … [Read more...] about Vietnam well-placed for breakthroughs in innovation and entrepreneurship

The COVID-19 pandemic is under control, while the tourism market in Vietnam is bouncing back and seeing a rising number of travelers. However, it is facing a severe staffing shortage that gets worse in sea-based tourist areas. According to data from the Kien Giang Department of Tourism, since the beginning of the year, the Mekong Delta province, which also has beaches, has welcomed over 4.5 million tourists. Following the joy in the new results are worries about staffing. Serious dearth of tour guides, service employees Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc are the top coastal destinations for tourists, mainly domestic visitors, on weekends and holidays, when a shortage of workers active in tourism is clearly seen. Truong Cong Tam, chairman of the Phu Quoc Professional Association of Tour Guides, said that during the peak travel season, tour guides on Phu Quoc Island work day and night, but there is still a staffing shortage. “We are truly happy to see many tourists visit the … [Read more...] about In Vietnam, tourism sector woefully short of workers

The “Toa sang nghi luc Viet” program in 2022 was jointly organized by the VYF Central Committee, the Vietnam National Committee on Disability, and TCP Vietnam Co., Ltd. from May to August. The event aimed to honor young people with disabilities who have overcome all difficulties and actively made contributions to the development of the community. The honored are young people with disabilities who are no more than 35 years old. For those aged from 36 to 40, the organizing panel will consider their achievements and make the decision. The outstanding young people will receive the Certificate of Merit from VYF Central Committee, the program's logo, a savings book worth VND 10 million, and other valuable rewards. Among the honored this year, Bui Thi Ha (born in 1982) is the oldest. Ha losses her vision in one eye, and the other eye has 4/10 visual acuity. Currently, she is the President of the Club of Youths with Disabilities in Quynh Phu district, Thai Binh province. After more … [Read more...] about Young people with disabilities to be honored