Foreign NGO Aid in 2023 Reached USD 228.6 million
	Ca Mau Utilizes Support from Foreign Non-governmental Organizations

The Conference on Strengthening Cooperation and Enhancing the Effectiveness of Aid between Thanh Hoa Province and Foreign Non-Governmental Organizations for the 2026-2030 period. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

In his opening remarks, Le Quang Hung, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, provided an overview of the province’s natural conditions, geographical location, potential, and notable socio-economic development achievements in recent years. Accordingly, during the 2021-2025 period, Thanh Hoa recorded an estimated average economic growth rate of approximately 10.24% per year, ranking fourth nationwide; GRDP in 2025 is estimated at VND 357,760 billion, 1.9 times higher than in 2020. Total social investment mobilized during this period is estimated at VND 700 trillion, 1.14 times higher than in the 2016-2020 period; social security has been ensured, and people’s living standards have gradually improved.

According to Le Quang Hung, in addition to close guidance from the central authorities, the province’s achievements have been significantly supported by the attention, assistance, and effective partnership of foreign non-governmental organizations, along with domestic and international agencies and organizations. During the 2021-2025 period, foreign non-governmental organizations implemented 269 programs and projects with a total estimated aid value of USD 42.6 million. Of this amount, non-refundable aid not classified as official development assistance reached approximately USD 28.4 million.

Le Quang Hung, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The aid-funded programs and projects have become an important supplementary resource, helping to promptly and directly address the essential needs of local people, and receiving strong support and active cooperation from local authorities and communities. Many projects have focused on addressing social issues in remote and mountainous areas and ethnic minority regions, such as gender inequality, domestic violence, trafficking in women and children, and disease prevention and control. At the same time, they have supported training and capacity building for local officials engaged in external relations and project management.

Looking ahead to the 2026-2030 period, Thanh Hoa provincial leaders expressed their hope to continue receiving the attention and support of diplomatic missions, non-governmental organizations, and domestic and international agencies and organizations, focusing on priority areas such as poverty reduction and sustainable livelihood development; healthcare; education and training; agriculture and rural development; environmental protection and clean water; climate change response; disaster prevention, mitigation and emergency relief; and addressing social issues.

Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and Vice Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs, delivers remarks at the Conference. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and Vice Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs, highly appreciated Thanh Hoa Province’s proactive approach and special attention to foreign non-governmental organization (NGO) affairs. He noted that Thanh Hoa is a locality that regularly organizes meetings and exchanges with international organizations to strengthen cooperation, and that the preparation of such events is carried out in a systematic, thorough and in-depth manner.

With this proactive and professional approach, cooperation between Thanh Hoa and foreign NGOs, development partners, embassies and international cooperation agencies is expected to continue making new progress, in line with the development requirements of the locality and of Vietnam as a whole. The Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations reaffirmed its commitment to accompanying and supporting Thanh Hoa in further promoting cooperation with foreign NGOs in the coming time.

Delegates discuss at the Conference. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Within the framework of the conference, delegates engaged in open exchanges, discussions, and clarification of difficulties and obstacles encountered during the implementation of programs and projects in Thanh Hoa. The event also provided an opportunity for the province to express its gratitude and recognize the positive contributions of agencies, organizations and individuals that have accompanied the locality in aid activities, thereby helping to strengthen cooperative relations and promote sustainable development.

At the conference, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation was signed between the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee and four foreign non-governmental organizations, namely GRET (France), SCI (United Kingdom), TDH-G (Germany) and World Vision (United States). The total committed aid value for the implementation of programs and projects in the province in the coming period amounts to USD 5,011,721.

The Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee signs a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation with World Vision International in Vietnam. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

On this occasion, the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee presented Certificates of Merit to several outstanding collectives and individuals in recognition of their positive contributions to coordination and implementation of aid-funded programs and projects in the province over the past period.

Le Quang Hung, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, presents Certificates of Merit of the Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee to foreign non-governmental organizations for their positive contributions in recent years. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Doseba Tua Sinay, National Director of World Vision International in Viet Nam: 35 Years of Supporting Communities in Thanh Hoa Doseba Tua Sinay, National Director of World Vision International in Viet Nam. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) World Vision began its operations in Vietnam in 1988 and has since received strong support and close cooperation from the Government of Vietnam in implementing programs and projects in 14 provinces and cities nationwide. In Thanh Hoa, World Vision started cooperating with the locality in the early 1990s through the implementation of area development programs. During the 2023-2027 period, World Vision is implementing six area development programs and 17 thematic projects in Thanh Hoa Province, with a total budget of nearly USD 14.6 million. Throughout the implementation process, World Vision has consistently received active support from local partners, reflected in the facilitation of approval for programs and projects aligned with the province’s development needs; support for visits and working missions by donors and international partners; and regular guidance, direction and close accompaniment to ensure that activities are implemented effectively and in accordance with local priority orientations. Entering a new phase, World Vision recognizes that alongside favorable conditions, there remain numerous challenges in the implementation of programs and projects, particularly global fluctuations affecting resource mobilization. In this context, World Vision proposes strengthening the integration of its programs and projects with State programs, especially in the areas of clean water, environmental sanitation and sustainable livelihoods, in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of donors and enhance project sustainability. At the same time, World Vision hopes to continue receiving coordination and support from local authorities in mobilizing additional grassroots resources, expanding the coverage of area development programs to reach people and children, particularly in newly merged communes that still face many difficulties; creating favorable conditions for the organization to implement community support activities in communes of the former Muong Lat district, including granting permission for donors and partners to visit and work; and supporting feasibility studies and surveys to further expand area development programs in disadvantaged areas across the province.

Le Thi Thanh Huong, Country Director of Save the Children in Vietnam: Continued Expansion of Support for Children and Adolescents in Thanh Hoa Le Thi Thanh Huong, Country Director of Save the Children in Vietnam. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) Thanh Hoa was the first locality where Save the Children laid the foundations for its operations in Viet Nam in 1990. Over the past 35 years, Thanh Hoa has consistently been an important partner, accompanying Save the Children on its journey to fulfill its mission for children and communities. During the 2024-2025 period alone, Save the Children is implementing four major programs and projects in Thanh Hoa, with a total budget of more than USD 1.3 million. The implementation of these programs and projects in the locality has consistently received strong support from provincial authorities, as well as responsible, proactive and effective coordination from local partners. The alignment of objectives and the spirit of close cooperation have enabled the organization’s models and interventions to be effectively integrated into the province’s development programs and rapidly scaled up. Alongside this is the active support of communities, schools and adolescents, creating a favorable environment for child-focused initiatives to be implemented sustainably. Entering a new phase, Save the Children commits to continuing its partnership with Thanh Hoa Province in priority areas. On this basis, the organization proposes expanding education programs, particularly vocational education, digital skills training and climate change education, in order to enhance the capacity of adolescents in the context of digital transformation and green economic development. At the same time, it will strengthen support for community-based climate change adaptation models such as afforestation, water resource protection, promotion of clean energy, and youth-led initiatives; and accompany the province in implementing innovation programs in schools, thereby fostering creative thinking, problem-solving capacity and green entrepreneurship among pupils and students. With its reputation and long-standing cooperation experience in the locality, Save the Children stands ready to serve as a bridge to mobilize additional international resources, channeling funding from international funds and organizations to effectively support Thanh Hoa Province’s sustainable development goals.

Nguyen Huu Ninh, Country Director of GRET in Viet Nam: Continuing to Accompany Sustainable Development Programs in Pu Luong Nguyen Huu Ninh, Country Director of GRET in Vietnam. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) GRET is a non-governmental organization working in the field of international solidarity and development. Founded in 1976, it is headquartered in Paris (France) and began implementing activities in Viet Nam in 1988. In Thanh Hóa, GRET initiated support programs and projects in 2006, focusing on interventions along the bamboo and rattan value chain. After the completion of these bamboo- and rattan-related programs, since 2021 GRET has shifted to implementing the Pu Luong Project, targeting poor women and ethnic minority women in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve area. The Pu Luong Project has been implemented in two phases. Phase 1 (2021-2024), with a total budget of over EUR 400,000, focused on improving livelihoods, strengthening the economic capacity of ethnic minority women, and contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Building on the results, experience and lessons learned from this phase, GRET successfully mobilized aid to continue implementing Phase 2 of the project during the 2025-2028 period. With a total budget of approximately EUR 1.1 million, this phase aims to strengthen the economic and social agency of ethnic minority women, linked to the sustainable management of the nature reserve. In the coming period, GRET is coordinating with the French Institute for Development Research to develop Phase 3 of the program, entitled Nutrition Plus. This phase is expected to continue focusing on enhancing the agency of ethnic minority women in the sustainable management of natural resources in the Pu Luong area, while integrating activities to improve child nutrition. The projected budget for this phase is approximately EUR 500,000, funded by the Government of France.

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