An Giang (VNA) - An Giang province has mobilised nearly 700 billion VND (approximately 26.7 million USD) for social welfare programmes since July 2025, helping improve infrastructure and living conditions for disadvantaged communities, particularly poor households and ethnic minority groups.
The Mekong Delta province has a population of nearly five million, including more than 472,000 ethnic minority people. In 2026, its multidimensional poverty rate stood at 1.03%, rising to 2.53% among ethnic minority households.
Local authorities have stepped up efforts to mobilise donations from businesses, organisations and philanthropists to build bridges, roads and houses, supporting poverty reduction and new-style rural development.
Truong Thi Nhu Ngoc, Vice Chairwoman of the An Minh commune People’s Committee, said the commune had raised more than 2 billion VND since early 2026 to build over 10 charity houses, construct three bridges, provide health insurance cards and distribute more than 1,500 gifts to poor households and students.
On October 24, local authorities and donors inaugurated Phuoc An Minh Bridge, built at a cost of 490 million VND, connecting An Minh and Van Khanh communes. The event also saw the distribution of 20 bicycles and 120 gift packages to poor and near-poor households.
Nguyen Tuong Vy, a pupil at An Minh Primary School, said the bridge and her newly received bicycle would make her daily school commute safer, eliminating the need to cross the river on a floating raft.
In Hon Dat commune, more than 3 billion VND has been raised since early 2026 to build four bridges, construct three kilometres of rural roads, provide 14 houses for disadvantaged households and policy-beneficiary families, and distribute nearly 200 health insurance cards, said Pham Thu Thuy, Chairwoman of the commune People’s Committee.
Vo Thi Dung, a local resident, said her family had received a 40-square-metre charity house worth 60 million VND in late September, replacing their dilapidated and unsafe home.
Le Thanh Viet, Standing Vice President of the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, said localities had mobilised more than 15,000 working days to repair 78 kilometres of roads, built over 50 bridges and cleared 39 kilometres of irrigation canals since July 2025, following the provincial merger. A total of 9,082 houses had also been handed over to poor and near-poor households.
He said the province would continue mobilising social resources to provide housing, improve rural infrastructure and schools, and support livelihoods for disadvantaged families.
Authorities will also strengthen oversight to ensure donations are used transparently and effectively./.
