Increasing will and energy to escape poverty

Twenty years ago on October 17, 2000, the Presidium of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee held a national campaign for the Day for the Poor and selected October 17 as the Day for the Poor. In answer to the call of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, domestic people from all walks of life, overseas Vietnamese and the whole political system have actively responded to the movement over the past 20 years.

At a ceremony to raise fund for the poor in Thai Nguyen province. (Illustrative image)
At a ceremony to raise fund for the poor in Thai Nguyen province. (Illustrative image)

The profound humanistic meaning of the policy towards the poor has turned into concrete activities to be deployed and spread in all parts of the country.

Wherever there are needy people, there is sharing, support, generosity, and compassion. The Party committees, authorities, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee from central to grassroots levels and member organisations have coordinated closely to build houses of "Great Solidarity" for poor households.

Needy people are also given assistance to promote production, improve their incomes, buy health insurance, access medical examination and treatment, and receive scholarships and school supplies to attend school, and others.

The campaign for the poor has really come to life and has a profound humanitarian significance which is supported by organisations, individuals, philanthropists and people from all walks of life both at home and abroad.

However, the number of poor and near-poor households in the country remains large. There are still many people in remote areas, ethnic minority areas, coastal areas, border areas and islands who are facing many obstacles in their lives and continue to require further support from the Party, State and the whole society.

Meanwhile, our country has been encountering many challenges in ensuring economic development and social security. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic appeared, persisted and then re-emerged in the recent months, seriously affecting the development goals of the country.

In addition, poverty reduction, especially for ethnic minorities, mountainous, remote, and border areas, has been a difficult problem for a long time. There are many reasons leading to this situation, including the lack of production materials, lack of investment capital, natural disasters, epidemics, and unfavourable traffic conditions, among others.

Moreover, there is other important reason is that some poor households are not actively determined to escape from poverty but relying on the support of the State. Even part of local officials and leaders do not want to help the local residents to escape from poverty, leading to the incorrect in the management, investigation and review of poor households. In some places, there remains the dishonesty and false declarations in the number of needy households to make profit from policies.

The current problems and difficulties in hunger eradication and poverty alleviation are complicated, requiring a sense of responsibility and determination from the political system and the will and energy of poor people to rise up.

Local authorities and functional agencies should continue to promote propaganda and raise awareness of the people about the implementation of the policy of rapid and sustainable poverty reduction.

It is necessary to provide more production knowledge and skills to the poor, creating consensus in the implementation of policies for the poor.

Meanwhile, examples of individuals and collectives with achievements in poverty reduction should be promoted and honoured for everyone to follow.

In addition, it is necessary to study and build an appropriate economic model with the participation of the poor in those models so that they are given working and productive conditions and, more importantly, they develop the will to escape poverty, thereby taking practical actions.

Ministries, departments, and agencies at the central level and Party committees, authorities, Fatherland Front Committees and armed forces at all levels need to have specific and practical plans in taking care of the poor.

These bodies should continue to closely coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations to effectively manage the mobilisation and use of the Fund for the Poor, ensuring transparency and support for the right people.