A pilot program supported by China has been launched in Myanmar to help improve the livelihoods of people living in poverty. The project is said to be the first of its kind, and includes a comprehensive set of measures for poverty reduction.
According to a recent report from the World Bank, nearly one-third of Myanmar's population of more than 50 million people is living in poverty, most of them in the country's rural areas.
When the program was launched on Thursday in a village about an hour's drive from the capital city Naypyidaw, local residents greeted the working group with a traditional dance.
Khant Zaw is Director General of the Department of Rural Development under Myanmar's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation. He says that the aid program is different from what has been tried in the past.
"This is a very comprehensive program. We have had other programs, for example, but they were for roads and roads only, or only for agriculture, or only for livestock. Here we have comprehensive development. Comprehensive development means people get the local infrastructure they need to support their livelihood, which is very important for long-term sustainable economic development. That's why this kind of comprehensive development program is needed."
The pilot of the Poverty Reduction Cooperation Project is the result of a partnership between China's International Poverty Reduction Center and the Department of Rural Development under Myanmar's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation.
Min Nan is Deputy Director of the Yunnan Provincial Poverty Alleviation Office, which is responsible for the implementation of the project. Min says the working group hopes to share China's poverty reduction experience with the local communities in Myanmar.
"This year we plan to start with infrastructure projects, including road and drinking water projects, which are relatively easy to start and see faster results. But we would also like to see capacity building, industry development, and other sustainable development over the next three years, the concrete results of which can be seen in the second or third year. That's what we're dedicated to achieving."
In addition to the road and drinking water projects, Min says China plans to help villagers renovate school buildings and clinics, develop rural industries such as planting and breeding, carry out community environmental governance, and provide technical and vocational training.
Nearly 8,000 people living in the two villages included in the pilot program are expected to benefit from the 5-million-dollar project.
