PANO – The US Embassy’s two specials grants totaling almost $40,000 is to be presented to two Vietnamese organizations to assist them in carrying out important projects designed to support women’s rights and environmental journalists on August 3, informed by the US Embassy in Hanoi.

The two organizations are receiving these awards under a special Grants Program of the US Embassy.

The Hanoi-based Center for Education Promotion and Empowerment of Women (CEPEW) and Women’s Union of Ha Nam province were selected to implement a US$ 19,962 project titled “Boosting women’s participation in politics and decision-making at local levels.” The program will run from June 2007 to June 2008 in Duy Tien district, Ha Nam and it aimsto strengthen the role of women in those areas, and to advance equality, justice and development.

Another grant of US$19,965 was awarded to People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature), a Vietnamese non-profit organization, to implement the project titled “Voice for Environmental Justice: Combating Unequal Access to Natural Resources and Living Environment in Disadvantaged Communities in Vietnam through an Independent Online Media. This project will run through June 2008.

The grant ceremony will be held at the Center for Women and Development, Hanoi with presentation of the US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael W. Marine.

MH, Photo: cws