President Truong Tan Sang handed over 50 breeding cows to poor households in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang on December 15.

The recipients come from Chi Vien, Dam Thuy and Phong Nam communes in Trung Khanh district.

The programme “Breeding cows help the poor in border areas”, initiated by the military-run telecom group Viettel, is to help border provinces across the country with poverty reduction.

Also at the ceremony, Viettel donated 20,000 tonnes of cement to northern border localities, 2,000 of which went to Cao Bang, as part of efforts to assist them in housing renovation and animal husbandry.

The President also paid a call on priest Tran Duc Hanh and Catholics in Thanh Son diocese on the occasion of the coming Christmas.

He extended a merry Christmas and best wishes for a new year to them.-VNA