Society

Children, elderly in Tien Giang equipped with swimming skills

As many as 350 children and elderly persons in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang were equipped with swimming skills via seven classes held with assistance from Australian volunteers.
As many as 350 children and elderly persons in the Mekong Deltaprovince of Tien Giang were equipped with swimming skills via sevenclasses held with assistance from Australian volunteers.

This is the fourth year members of the AWSOM volunteering group haveopened classes of this kind in Tien Giang, with the help of province’sUnion of Friendship Organisations and relevant agencies.

The classes, running from January 4-9, are also part of a programmeon preventing and reducing drowning on Mekong River in 2015.

Bev Chrismas, founder of the AWSOM Group, said the learners aretaught how to swim properly and react if falling into water.

The right way to save a drowning person is one of topics discussed inthe classes along with skills for children to survive in a region withmany water bodies and rivers.

The volunteersalso held workshops for parents and My Tho city’s Association of theElderly on why it is necessary to have swimming and rescue skills.

Drowning is one of the leading child killers in Vietnam, with over3,300 deaths in 2012, equivalent to about nine cases every day. Thefigure is 10 times higher than the average figure of regional developingcountries. Half of the victims were bathing in ponds, lakes, rivers orthe sea without adult supervision.-VNA
Follow VietnamPlus

See more

Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau addresses the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Deputy PM asks for highest education quality, safety for students

Regarding the construction of inter-level boarding schools in border communes, all 108 schools under Phase 1 opened for the 2026-2027 academic year, with 40 having completed all construction items. Procedures for groundbreaking at 121 schools under Phase 2 across 17 provinces and cities have been completed, with all projects targeted for completion before August 30, 2027.

Hanoi leaders attend the inauguration and groundbreaking ceremonies for projects. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi launches 18 key projects worth nearly 4.94 billion USD

The city announced 292 projects with a combined investment of 384.886 trillion VND (14.92 billion USD), including 18 key projects worth 127.46 trillion VND, focusing on transport, infrastructure, environmental protection and public services.

With just a smartphone, a wealth of knowledge spanning tens of thousands of books can now be accessed in an instant. (Photo: Thanh Nien Newspaper)

Vietnam’s first shared digital library platform launched

Vietnam Digital Library Joint Stock Company (ViLiB) launched its “Digital Knowledge Space – Shared Digital Library” platform in Ho Chi Minh City on October 8, enabling libraries, schools and organisations to connect and share digital resources, thereby broadening access to books and knowledge.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung are welcomed by staff of the Vietnamese Embassy, representatives of Vietnamese agencies and associations, and members of the Vietnamese community in Laos on October 9, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam–Laos special ties nurtured by the people: PM Le Minh Hung

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung urged Vietnamese people in Laos to maintain solidarity, integrate proactively, respect Lao laws and educate younger generations about their national roots and the special Vietnam–Laos relationship. Calling Laos a country undergoing dynamic transformation with emerging opportunities

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van and his Lao counterpart Anouparb Vongnorke co-chair the conference. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Laos enhance legal awareness among border village leaders

The conference aimed to help officials, specialised forces and village leaders gain a better understanding of border-related policies and laws, thereby enhancing their sense of responsibility for managing and protecting the border line and markers, maintaining public order and promoting economic development in border areas.

The international workshop on empowering women in the care economy on October 8, 2026 (Photo: VNA)

Int’l workshop focuses on women’s empowerment in the care economy

Vietnam has built a relatively comprehensive legal and policy framework to underpin the sector, including the Labour Code, the Law on Gender Equality, the Law on Social Insurance, the Law on Population and the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2021-2030. Together, they set goals and measures to narrow gender gaps and give women and men equal opportunities to benefit across a range of areas.