A water supply and sanitation project funded by World Bank (WB) loans has helped reduce poverty in four Vietnamese provinces.
The announcement was made at a meeting in Hanoi on June 10 to review the results of the project implemented in Hai Duong, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh provinces.
Project team leader Hoang Thi Hoa emphasised that all the targets have been reached, with nearly 1.4 million people now having access to safe water, 87% of households having hygienic toilets, and 656 public toilets built.
A WB official affirmed the project’s success in rural areas, considering it an exemplary role model for similar projects in the future.
However, the official recommended relevant agencies encourage localities to keep the projects running well, perform regular maintenance work and reduce water loss after the project ends.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang said the project’s success is an important step towards fulfilling the millennium development goals.
He also said that relevant agencies pay attention to the lessons they have learnt in management to continue improving the quality of the project in the future. He asked them to accelerate disseminating information and educational activities to raise public awareness of the importance of clean water and environmental sanitation.