BAT Vietnam’s VND1 billion sponsorship to lift Mekong Delta out of poverty bearing fruits

Representatives of BAT Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City Police newspaper, and local authorities cut the ribbon inaugurating the new bridge. Photo: Quoc Dung

This is one of the bridges constructed via the project of natural disaster prevention and fighting funded by BAT Vietnam in 2016. Another bridge project receiving support from BAT Vietnam last year is Vuon Tre Bridge, with the length of 25m and width of 3m and a total cost of VND220 million ($9,700). The bridge is in Khanh Hai commune, Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province.

These bridges were erected in the framework of the disaster prevention charity project run by Ho Chi Minh City Police newspaper under the cooperation programme with BAT Vietnam since 2013. The cooperation programme aims to facilitate various charity goals, including building rural bridges in the Mekong Delta, especially in impoverished cities and provinces where people’s lives are still very difficult and education is limited.

Since 2016, BAT Vietnam has been coordinating actions with Ho Chi Minh City Police newspaper to carry out charitable projects and build six rural bridges in Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau provinces. Each bridge costs between VND150-220 million, bringing the total funding provided by BAT Vietnam to over VND1 billion ($44,000).

The new bridge will help children go to school safely and locals to travel conveniently, promoting a better life, Photo: Quoc Dung

“With the new bridge in Phu Thuan A commune, I hope dwellers in the Mekong Delta region will be able to travel safely and more conveniently. This would offer them the security to make a living through more legal activities and take care of their children, improving their quality of life and productivity on the long run,” said Nguyen Hoang Hue Linh, senior Corporate Communications and CSR manager. “We will continue to build new bridges in other localities to help children go to school and meet locals’ needs for transportation and trading towards a better life.”

According to Hue Linh, these rural bridge projects are part of a global CSR programme that BAT has implemented over the years to sustainably support communities in disadvantaged localities.

Representatives of BAT Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City Police newspaper and local authorities hand out gifts to poor people in Dong Thap province at the inauguration ceremony of the rural bridge, Photo: Quoc Dung

Apart from building bridges, over the past years, BAT has made valuable contributions to alleviate poverty in Vietnam. BAT focuses on supporting and inciting charity programmes, combating poverty, and extending education opportunities, as well as improving the living quality of disadvantaged communities and encouraging sustainable agricultural practices. In particular, the company has run a programme supporting households, benefiting more than 300 families nationwide over the past 12 years.

To date, BAT Vietnam has built more than 80 charity houses and 20 bridges in rural areas. In addition, it has supplied three million seedlings to farming households, helping turn 10,000 hectares of barren land into green areas in Lang Son, Cao Bang, Gia Lai, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, and Bac Kan provinces.