BAT helps more than 5,000 families improve their lives
BAT helps more than 5,000 families improve their lives
BAT Vietnam and Hanoi Moi newspaper has recently worked with the Women's Union in Cu Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta province of Long An to assess the outcomes of the Poverty Reduction Support Fund Microfinance Project funded by BAT Vietnam through the newspaper since 2004.
Over the years the fund has lent VND500 million ($22,000) without interest to more than 500 households in Cu Chi and Long An, helping them improve their farming and escape poverty.
The Poverty Reduction Support Fund Microfinance Project was funded by BAT Vietnam through Hamoi Moi newspaper since 2004 with the total amount of VND1.6 billion ($70,200).
The project is aimed to contribute to the local hunger elimination program to gradually create a stable life for poor people and help them accumulate enough money to develop a business. Thus far, by providing dozens of loans in the past 13 years, the Poverty Reduction Support Fund Microfinance Project has benefited over 5,000 households with over 20,000 people in Haiphong, Bac Giang, Hanoi, Quang Tri, Cu Chi, and Long An.
According to Nguyen Hoang Hue Linh, senior corporate communication & CSR manager of BAT Vietnam, community-oriented projects like the Poverty Reduction Support Fund have left a good impression on many people nationwide as they have helped thousands of families eliminate poverty while their children could continue their schooling.
“After 13 years of implementation, the project has recovered capital in Haiphong, Bac Giang, Hanoi and Quang Tri to continue with community projects in other localities,” Linh said.
According to Linh, the Poverty Reduction Support Fund is part of the corporate social investment programme BAT has been implementing over the past years to support poor communities.
“We believe that when people are guided and supported with the most basic means, such as loans and transport infrastructure, they will be comfortable choosing steady and safe work. They can set an example through hard work and raise their children as good citizens for society,” she said.
For BAT Vietnam, an enterprise has a role as a corporate citizen. Thus, for many years, “citizen” BAT in Vietnam has always supported the community and carried out charity projects to help usher in a better future.
BAT Vietnam is committed to supporting the community development of the countries in which it operates.
In Vietnam, BAT focuses on improving the lives of poor people through various activities in areas such as sustainable agriculture, microfinance, infrastructure support and employee engagement in community activities.
Specifically, BAT Vietnam has carried out programmes such as building more than 80 charity houses, supplying three million seedlings, helping green 10,000 hectares of barren lands in provinces such as Lang Son, Cao Bang, Gia Lai, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, and Bac Kan.
As of 2016, BAT Vietnam coordinated with Ho Chi Minh City Police newspaper for charitable projects, building six rural bridges in Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau provinces.
