Bac Giang, a mountainous province in northern Vietnam, is 50km away from Hanoi to the North. Bac Giang province occupies the total land area of 3,843 km² and has the population of approx. 1.6 million, of which the number of people at working-age is more than 1 million. Bac Giang has 10 administrative units including Bac Giang City and 9 districts with 230 communes, wards and towns.

In recent years, there are some positive achievements in socio-economic conditions of Bac Giang province as follows: the GDP growth rate reached 9.7 %; average GDP per capita increased rapidly to 1,080 USD in 2013, narrowing the gap with national average level. Socio-cultural fields have been dramatically developed, education and training have been paid attention, and quality of school facilities has been enhanced significantly. Some social factors as healthcare for people, sanitation, disease prevention, social security and job creation, defense and security also have been concerned and ensured greatly.

Aiming for socio-economic development and poverty eradication, Bac Giang province  has lately determined to make best use of  available resources and external assistances, including the active contributions of NGO aids. In the period of 2003-2013, Bac Giang has received and implemented 266 NGO projects with the total aid commitment of 34.9 million dollars (equivalent to the annual average rate of 3.5%) . 26 million dollars has been disbursed in these projects over the past 10 years ( equivalent to 74.5% of total aid commitment), of which the NGOs aid accounted for 20.6%.

The activities conducted by NGOs has contributed to improving quality of life of  residents in project areas, raising awareness, production skills and income and gradually reducing poverty sustainably for beneficiaries; enhancing capacity of project staffs, residents, especially vulnerable groups such as women, disabled children, ethnic minorities, households living in poverty and marginal poverty. Presently, NGOs are working province-wide, particularly at remote and mountainous communes, and extremely disadvantaged communes. Effective use of these NGO aids has made great contribution to poverty eradication, social security and implementation of socio-economic development target at localities.

Due to difficult economic situation worldwide generally and in Vietnam particularly, Vietnam government faces difficulties in implementing poverty eradication projects and social security programs. Regardless of these challenges, we would be grateful for a gradual increase of aids granted by NGOs in Bac Giang province, from 1.9 million dollars in period of 2003-2007 to 4.3 million dollars in 2008-2012 (raising by 124% compared to previous period). Therefore, we highly appreciate the assistances provided by NGOs.

In the upcoming time, Bac Giang have the determination to promote the cooperation with foreign partners, to mobilize the external resources for socio-economic development in the province. Therefore, I would be grateful if the NGOs could continue to pay the attention to our province , select Bac Giang as a priority recipient of aids, simultaneously enhance effectiveness of the projects, and shift the focus from aid effectiveness to development effectiveness.

Bac Giang province is committed to offer NGOs most favourable conditions to implement  projects and programs in the province; simultaneously to take some measures to strengthen the cooperation with NGOs. I avail itself of this opportunity to renew to NGOs the assurance of my highest consideration; and wishing partnership between Bac Giang Province and NGOs to be finely developed./.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Giang province

Bui Van Hai