The Red River delta city of Nam Dinh has got a face-lift thanks to a Swiss-financed urban development project launched ten years ago.

The US$7.5 million project helped Nam Dinh build a 43,000 cu.m. per hour pumping station and reinforce the system of dykes running around the station.

It equipped 132 rubbish vans, five light lorries and dredgers and other facilities for the city’s environment company to collect garbage.

In addition, the project financed poor households to clean up the surrounding environment and helped improve the water supply network in the city. As a result, water leaks dropped from 37 percent to 10 percent.

The project also helped the city build a “one-spot” administrative centre by streamlining its administrative apparatus, installing software for its financial management, and providing training for its staff.