Although the war finished 35 years ago, it has still left many problems for the following generations. In recent years, the lives of social policy beneficiary families have been improved thanks to the “paying debts of gratitude” movement.

In the country’s thousand-year history, many people have fallen for the nation’s cause of construction and defence. In order to express his gratefulness to those who died for the country, former President Ho Chi Minh in 1947 decided to choose July 27 as the War Invalids and Martyrs’ Day.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA), across the country, the public now take very good care of 20,000 serious war invalids and the State spends thousands of billion of Vietnam Dong (VND) every year to benefit eight million people.

The children of war invalids and martyrs also benefit from preferential policies in education and healthcare services.

The Party, State, and Government always attaches a great deal of importance to “paying gratitude” work. The State has issued legislation for those who gave a great service to the nation and for heroic mothers, in an effort to encourage social organisations and individuals to improve the living conditions of social policy beneficiaries.

The Party and State always pay a lot of attention to policies on social policy beneficiaries in line with the nation’s socio-economic condition. The authorities and organisations at all levels are keen to help social policy beneficiary families improve their living standards and escape from poverty.

In addition, many war invalids and veterans have overcome their difficulties and have successfully developed their household economies by planting trees, building farms and raising animals. They have not only reached an adequate standard of living but also have helped their relatives, neighbours and comrades get out of poverty.

Subsequently, the MoLISA will hold a national conference in central Nghe An province in the near future to honour the people who have made a huge contribution to the cause of national development.

In recent years, many movements have been launched to encourage local authorities and the public to take care of social policy beneficiaries and help them enjoy a better life. Annually, thousands of billions of VND have been raised in support of social policy beneficiary families. All these efforts are to express the Party, State and entire people’s gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives for national independence and freedom.

Currently, Vietnam has been developing a new model to strengthen the links between the State, community and social policy beneficiaries, in which, the State plays a key role in encouraging businesses, organisations and individuals to care about social policy beneficiary families. So far, about 90 percent of the families of people who served the nation’s revolutionary cause have enjoyed an adequate standard of living, equivalent or even higher than the average level in other localities.

Source: VOV