Project empowers rural communities    Illustrative photo. (Photo: VNA) Ha Giang - The Civil Society Empowering Rural Communities project, funded by the European Commission via ActionAid International Vietnam (AAV), has contributed to improving social welfare of people in Quan Ba district, the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang.  Sen Thang Long, Vice President of the Quan Ba district People’s Committee, made the statement at a meeting with representatives of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and AAV as part of their trip to inspect the project from November 15-16.  The four-year project was launched in four communes and Tam Son town of Quan Ba district, one of the 62 poorest localities nationwide, in January 2013. It cost a total of 2 billion VND (90,000 USD), of which 600 million VND (27,000 USD) was used for community initiatives.  The project has basically met its set targets, especially promoting the involvement of the community in making socio-economic development policies, Long said.  Mong and Dao ethnic groups in the targeted localities raised many initiatives to improve their living standards such as building roads to avoid floods and landslides, and community houses, he added.  According to the official, the project helped maintain the operation of 16 community development clubs where 400 locals discussed farming and accessed information about State policies and laws as well as resolutions issued by all-level authorities. Ly Thi Eng, a member of the community development club in Truc Son village, Quan Ba commune, said through the project, she and many others are now aware of their rights and obligations in the community.  Between 2006-2015, Quan Ba attracted many aid projects from the AAV with total value of 16 billion VND (720,000 USD).-VNA