Promote and mobilize foreign non-governmental aid

Through foreign non-governmental organizations, in 2022, there were 19 projects and 7 non-projects being implemented with a total committed aid capital of more than 4.1 million USD. Thereby, it has contributed to the socio-economic development in disadvantaged localities in Nghe An.

Replicating the green of the jungle

A foreign non-governmental project supports people in Xet 2 village, Chau Thang commune, Quy Chau district to restore Lung forest. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Chau Thang is one of the communes with a large area of ​​linden trees in Quy Chau district and this tree has created a stable source of income for the people for many generations. To preserve, develop and effectively exploit this tree, the people of Chau Thang commune have agreed to protect, manage and develop linden forests. Mr. Vi Van Co in Xet 2 village, Chau Thang commune recounted: “Previously, the bamboo trees were not well managed and protected, so people exploited them without a plan, reducing the yield and quality, especially affecting the resources and development of the bamboo forest. Recently, the villagers in the village have received investment from the FLOURISH project (a foreign non-governmental project), sending staff to directly train and guide them on fertilization techniques, clearing, and bamboo tree exploitation processes, etc., so the bamboo forest area is better managed, protected, and developed. On the 1 hectare of forest managed by the family, the staff guides the exploitation techniques of each bamboo bush, the family selects and exploits about 30% of the qualified trees, so the conservation and development of bamboo trees is very good.”

To create a stable life for people managing, protecting and developing the forest, Mr. Vi Van Co's family and some households in the village were supported by the project with Doi tree seedlings planted under the canopy. With the support of relevant levels and sectors, and the project, in Xet 1 and Xet 2 villages... households have joined together to establish Project Teams to restore, protect and care for the forest in Chau Thang commune (each team has about 12 households). This organization operates very effectively because the members always share and support each other in preserving and developing the forest. Mr. Lo Van Tuan in Xet 1 village has been very successful in propagating the forest by dividing the roots... With many good practices, the green color of the forest in Chau Thang commune is widely spread. Vice Chairman of Chau Thang Commune People's Committee - Mr. Luong Thanh Trung said: "In the commune, there are 210 hectares of linden forest and 129 households are responsible for management and protection. Recently, with the support of all levels, sectors and related projects, people in the commune have changed their thinking and working methods in restoring and sustainably developing linden trees, thereby improving the quality, yield and value of linden trees in Chau Thang commune".

Forest rangers provide technical guidance on care and exploitation of foreign non-governmental projects supporting Quy Chau people. Photo: Hoang Vinh

The green color of the forest is still spreading in Que Phong when this remote area benefits from the FLOURISH project. Recently, implementing the restoration of the production forest landscape according to the mechanism of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from efforts to limit deforestation and forest degradation; conserving and enhancing carbon stocks associated with sustainable forest resource management (REDD+) and private-community cooperation sponsored by the Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia & the Pacific (Thailand), the Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund has implemented the FLOURISH project on developing the forest in Quy Chau and Que Phong districts.

Attracting projects in various fields and locations

In Nghe An, foreign non-governmental organizations support many fields such as: Education and Training has 6 projects and 1 non-project, which is the project "Integrating learning activities through play for primary school students in Vietnam - iPLAY Vietnam" sponsored by VVOB; the project "Supporting the implementation of effective and sustainable interventions to prevent and combat child drowning in Vietnam, phase 2" sponsored by CTFK; the SEEDs scholarship program sponsored by PALS, the project "Sharing small love" sponsored by KTCA... The health sector has 2 projects and 4 non-projects, which are "Improving sanitation and clean water based on women-led results" sponsored by EMWF; the project "Promoting the implementation of reproductive health and sexual health rights of children and adolescents in Lam Son commune, Do Luong district, Nghe An province" sponsored by ACS; The project "Supporting health care for people under 18 years old in poor households, near-poor households, and those in extremely difficult circumstances in Nghe An province" sponsored by GIBTK. The field of natural resources and environment has 3 projects: "Restoring production forest landscapes according to the mechanism of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from efforts to limit deforestation and forest degradation; conserving and enhancing carbon stocks associated with sustainable forest resource management (REDD+) and private-community cooperation" sponsored by RECOFT; the project "Forecast-based financial support in Vietnam" sponsored by the German Red Cross in Vietnam. The field of socio-economic development and other fields.

Operating the water supply system of the Vinh Suburban Water Plant project. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Foreign non-governmental projects implemented in Nghe An are concentrated in difficult mountainous areas such as Con Cuong, Que Phong, Thanh Chuong, Anh Son districts... Non-governmental aid has contributed to improving the capacity of local authorities and people in environmental protection, livelihood development, and improving the quality of teaching and learning...

According to the assessment, most aid projects are small-scale, low-budget, and operate in many localities. In the coming time, Nghe An will continue to promote and mobilize foreign non-governmental aid. This is carried out according to the direction in Decision No. 1031/QD-UBND dated April 16, 2021 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province on the Program to strengthen cooperation and mobilize non-refundable aid not belonging to official development assistance of Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025 and the National Program on strengthening cooperation and mobilizing foreign non-governmental aid for the period 2019-2025; Ensuring the combination of socio-economic development with national defense stability, political security and social order...

In order to further improve the effectiveness of foreign non-governmental work, Nghe An will strengthen coordination and close contact between localities and central ministries, departments and branches in mobilizing, promoting and receiving aid from foreign non-governmental organizations to ensure economic benefits associated with foreign security. Promote professional training for officials from provincial to local levels working in foreign non-governmental work on skills of building, mobilizing, organizing implementation, inspecting, supervising and evaluating foreign non-governmental projects.

Mr. Tran Khanh Thuc - Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Nghe An province