People are instructed how to use water filter containers. Photo: VRC

Doan Van Thai, deputy head and secretary general of the Vietnam Red Cross said that by year-end, the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) will support the building of 200 anti-storm houses for people in the southern province of An Giang and Dong Thap, with assistance of between VND 37-47 million for each house.

The information was released during a meeting to review the project on urgent rescue for people vulnerable to floods in Mekong River Delta provinces.

According to the Vietnam Red Cross (VRC), under the project, carried out from 5 December 2011 to 4 June 2012 with total capital of EUR 380,000 sponsored by ECHO, thousands of families in the three provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap and Long An were given 345,000 water filter tablets, 3,450 water filter containers, 3,450 household goods packages, over 4,000 monetary gifts worth VND 240,000-720,000 each, 188 boats, 376 life jackets, 493 casting nets, and 389 fishing nets.
The activity was carried out based on surveys of people’s urgent needs, which found safe water, food and means of support among people’s top priorities.

Talking about the housing project by year-end, Mr. Thai added that houses will be between 24-32 square metres./.