Foreign businesses open heart to community

VMEP’s general director is handing a cheque worth VND75 million to Go Cong town’s authorities in order to build two rural bridges

When foreign investors participate in social and charitable activities, they have a conception that:“We receive from society, we have to contribute to society”. Therefore, the enterprises have volunteered to give part of their profits back to the community; and each of them has their own way of implementing it. Some enterprises granted money to units or local governments in order to help in building houses for the poor and social policy beneficiaries. Other enterprises supported cultural programmes and festivals. Others donated to build streets, rural bridges and schools. Besides, another popular way was to award scholarships to outstanding poor students.

In Dong Nai, many enterprises have chosen to support education, help the young generation reveal their potential ability. Particularly, Happy Cook Company, located in Bien Hoa Industrial Zone 2, has been the main sponsor of the scholarship program entitled “Overcoming the present difficulties for brilliant future" for the past 5 years; total value of the scholarships is VND200 million per year.

Ajinomoto Vietnam’s general director is granting scholarships to poor pupils

Ajinomoto Vietnam has just awarded 240 scholarships worth VND120 million to poor students in Dong Nai province. The company has increased its scholarship fund entitled “Help pupils to go to school” from VND120 million to VND220 million in 2006. Accordingly, it will offer VND100 million to outstanding poor students in HCM city and Ha Noi.

“Cargill Care” fund was established by Cargill Vietnam in order to build schools in remote areas across the country. In the new school year 2006-2007, Cargill Vietnam has presented 8,000 gifts worth around VND400 million to poor students in deprived areas. Moreover, 2 primary schools and a nursery school have just come into operation in Xuan Loc district, Ha Tay province and Nhon Trach district. At the end of August, Giao Hoa nursery school in Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province started construction with an estimated cost of VND450 million, financed by Cargill Vietnam. Until now, Cargill Vietnam has built 16 schools, 15 of which have put into operation; 6 other projects are being planned to build in the next time. In the past time, “Cargill Care” fund has spent about VND10 billion on the social and charitable activities.

Xom Ray bridge in Binh Tan commune, Go Cong Tay district is built from donation of VMEP

Recently, VMEP has inaugurated first bridge in Binh Tan commune, Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province . The bridge is part of a larger project to build 100 rural bridges at a cost of VND 3 billion. It helps local people and pupils to easily travel in the region. In addition, VMEP’s charity association has participated in relief activities, granted books and notebooks to pupils, provided 30 free meals everyday for poor patients in Dong Nai hospital. From 2005 to now, VMEP has spent approximately VND1.2 billion on social and charitable activities.

Besides of above-mentioned enterprises, there have also been many foreign enterprises participating in community activities. They include Vedan Vietnam, Fujitsu Vietnam, ChangShin Vietnam, etc. During the past ten years, Vedan Vietnam has made meaningful contributions to society and made donation of several hundreds of millions of dongs every year. ChangShin Vietnam provided fund for supplementary education programs targeted towards its employees and free eye surgery for local poor people at an estimated cost of several thousand dollars. This year, a delegation from Lawrence S. Ting Memorial Fund and the Phu My Hung Joint Venture Company came to Doan Ket High School (Tan Phu district) in order to offer a computer lab worth US$18,000 at the opening of the new school year. According to plan, each province and city will be offered a computer lab by Lawrence S. Ting Memorial Fund.

Although don’t have specific charity programs, many other foreign enterprises have made remarkable contributions to social and charitable activities such as providing relief for flood victims, presenting gifts to poor people, awarding scholarships to outstanding poor students, providing free eye surgery, building charity and gratitude houses.

Involvement in charity work shows a clear concern for others. Foreign businesses open their hearts to help the needy and less fortunate. The results has created a change in the material and spiritual life of local inhabitants.

Participation in community-oriented activities run by foreign firms enables them to raise the prestige in the community. However, companies have to not only focus on high quality, but also pay special attention to environmental and other social concerns that will help them gain the trust of community residents. Additionally, they will earn excellent reputation and hold market dominance by providing high quality products at reasonable cost.

Reported by Kim Loan