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Leaders in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern province of Binh Phuoc on Thursday agreed on the construction of a VND36 trillion (US$1.5 billion) expressway linking the two localities. The Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh Expressway will stretch 70 kilometers from Chon Thanh District in Binh Phuoc Province to Go Dua Intersection in Ho Chi Minh City. The route will also run through Thu Dau Mot City in Binh Duong Province. The investment capital is estimated at VND36 trillion ($1.5 billion), of which 47 percent is expected to be funded by the state budget. The expressway will consist of three main sections. The first section stretches 1.5 kilometers in Ho Chi Minh City, costing approximately VND3 trillion ($130 million). The second section spans 57 kilometers in Binh Duong Province, including 28 kilometers of elevated roads and 10 overpasses, which will cost VND30 trillion ($1.29 billion). The third section is about 11.5 kilometers in Binh Phuoc Province, costing VND3 trillion ($130 million). This section will be designed with six lanes to facilitate the connection with the Dak Nong - Chon Thanh Expressway. During a working session in January, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc assigned Binh Phuoc People’s Committee to coordinate with relevant units to work on capital arrangement and construction format of the project. The premier also requested the Ministry of Planning and Investment and related sides to map out a plan on channeling state budget into the implementation of the project. Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Binh Phuoc will also submit their proposals regarding the construction of the expressway. Once approved, the expressway is expected to be built within the 2021-30 period under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) form. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! …

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Vietnam is currently developing four COVID-19 vaccines, one of which is expected to be available by the fourth quarter of this year. The four made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccines are being developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Vaccine and Biological Production Company No.1 (VABIOTECH), the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), and the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (Polyvac). Nanogen’s vaccine, named Nanocovax, is anticipated to be available by the fourth quarter of this year and put into use in 2022, according to the Ministry of Health. One of Nanocovax’s most touted characteristics is that its storage requirements only call for temperatures between two and eight degrees Celsius, making it relatively easy to store and transport. After a successful round of animal testing, the vaccine entered its first phase of human trials between December 17, 2020 and February 9, 2021, with the participation of 60 volunteers. The second phase of human trials began on February 26, with the number of volunteers expected to be 560. If the results of this second phase are promising, the final phase will likely start in May with 10,000 to 15,000 volunteers, said Do Quyet, director of the Military Medical University – the institution charged with conducting the human trial. Meanwhile, human trials for IVAC’s COVID-19 vaccine – Covivac – commenced on March 15 and are being carried out by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology at Hanoi Medical University. The first phase includes 120 volunteers divided into five groups. A mid-term report of this phase is expected to be completed by July. Phase two of the IVAC human trials will commence right after the end of its first phase, with 300 volunteers to receive doses of the vaccine in Thai Binh Province. Vietnam’s third homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, developed by VABIOTECH, will also enter its human trial phase by the end of 2021, according to Deputy …

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Nguyen Minh Hieu was in disbelief when he found out he had won a VND900 million ($39,000) scholarship to RMIT University in Vietnam, a sweet payoff after years of craving access to higher education. Hard work pays off Hieu was born into a low-income family in the southern Vietnamese countryside. After losing his father in a tragic explosion at a young age, his journey to education has always been at risk of being cut short. “We wound up losing our home and my mom and I had to move into an abandoned temple. We stayed there for nearly 20 years,” Hieu said. Though still just a child, Hieu did his best to help relieve his mother’s financial burden. “When I was in seventh grade, I begged my mum to let me drop out of school so she could save money on tuition, but she refused,” Hieu shared. Six years later, after graduating from high school with no money to attend university, Hieu took up a job as a delivery driver. “I began working for a bakery. I had to wake up at 4:00 am each morning to deliver cakes and bread. My shift lasted until very late at night.” Hieu had almost given up all hope of a higher education when he found KOTO – a social enterprise with a mission to empower at-risk and disadvantaged youths in Vietnam through its internationally recognized hospitality training program. “I felt like my chances of getting into KOTO’s program were pretty low, but I still decided to give it a shot,” Hieu shared. In the end, Hieu’s steadfast commitment to education won over the KOTO representatives at his interview and he was admitted into the program. Hieu is particularly grateful for the soft skills he was able to develop during his time at KOTO, particularly the improvements to his English abilities he was able to make through his interactions with foreign customers. Coming to fruition All of his hard work, gratitude and dedication paid off when Hieu received a scholarship awarded in 2018 by KOTO in partnership with TAFE NSW in Australia to …

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