Past Projects: Vietnam
Community Livelihood Enhancement Through Agricultural Land Reclamation (CLEAR) (2008
Where:
Quang Tri Province, Vietnam
Who:
CHF and the Mines Advisory Group (UK)
Funded by:
The Mines Advisory Group
Purpose:
To provide food security and sustainable livelihoods to poor and marginalized, many of whom turn to the illegal, risky activity of collecting unexploded ordnances (UXO) for scrap metal as income.
Situation:
The District of Dakrong in the Western part of Quang Tri Province is among the poorest in Vietnam, and has a high percentage of ethnic minority people who live on some of the least arable land.
Food security is still a serious problem in the area and many turn to scrap collecting as a way of generating a non-agricultural based income.
Making little more than a dollar a day, scrap collectors nevertheless see this risky activity as a way of generating income in poverty-stricken areas. Whole communities are put at risk along with the individual collectors because lethal unexploded ordnances are being deliberately handled or stored near population centres.
To date, organisations have concentrated mine clearance, mine risk education and victim assistance, but few have looked into alternative income strategies that will tackle the risks of scrap collecting.
Results:
- Production of healthy rice, maize and/or groundnut crops on cleared land
- Livestock fodder crops grow on cleared land
- Healthy livestock, especially pigs
- Improved knowledge of agricultural production, animal husbandry and income generation by both men and women
Building Capacity For Sustainable Livelihoods In Vietnam (2006-2009) )
Where:
Vietnam
Who:
CHF and the local Vietnamese government
Funded by:
CHF and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Purpose:
To achieve sustainable livelihoods for isolated, rural and predominantly ethnic minority communities in the Quy Chau district of Nghe An province in north-central Vietnam.
Situation:
Approximately 90% of Vietnam’s poor live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. As much as 70% of this poverty is concentrated in northern regions of Vietnam, where the Nghe An province is located. Close to 75% of the population of Quy Chau district in Nghe An are ethnic minorities, marginalized both by their ethnicity and the remote areas in which they live.
Results:
- Building on the successes of CHF’s Community Development in Quy Chau District project (2003-2006), this second phase (2006-2009) has expanded the project’s reach in the district to assist 1,991 families (10,189 people) in 30 villages throughout Quy Chau.
- The project focuses on three main activities: livestock enterprise, food crop enhancement and clean water systems.
- Targeted at the poor and the ultra-poor in the region, the project has used a participatory method to assist the poorest households in communities in identifying their own priorities. Households have identified projects to increase rice, maize and groundnut yields; pig, cow and poultry raising; and clean water supply as their greatest priorities.
- · The project aims to achieve a 30% increase in real incomes for participating families in the Quy Chau villages.
On October 3, 2007, typhoon Lekima destroyed about 60% of farmers’ rice crop and cattle fodder crop. CHF responded by contributing 2 tons of paddy seed to help project beneficiaries start their crop over again.
Livelihood Improvement Of Vulnerable Ethnic Minority Communities Affected By The Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project In Quang Nam Province (2009-2012)
Where:
Vietnam
Who:
CHF and the local Vietnamese government
Funded by:
The Asian Development Bank
Purpose:
The focus of this project is to develop sustainable livelihoods with over 1,000 households who are affected by the construction of the Song Bung 4 hydroelectric dam. Project activities include resettlement guidance, compensation and grievance management and the development of sustainable livelihoods options after resettlement.
Community Based Natural Resources Management Project
Where:
Nghe An Province, Vietnam
Who:
CHF and Toward Ethnic Women (TEW)
Funded by:
CHF and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Purpose:
Facilitated the advocacy of indigenous people's rights to sustainable resource use, and enhanced the capacity of an emerging Vietnamese NGO network.
Successes:
Empowerment through Knowledge
This project empowered communities in Vietnam to take the lead in their own development process through enhancing access to existing knowledge, facilitating the creation of new knowledge, and linking knowledge to practice to improve livelihoods and income. As a result, villagers have successfully developed their own framework for negotiating land claims.
Promoting Community-based Natural Resource Management
The capacity of local communities was strengthened in sustainable management of their natural resources. This was done through the introduction of sloping agricultural land technologies, forest protection through revised animal husbandry techniques, and improved water sanitation.
Strengthening the organizational capacity of TEW
TEW staff participated in several short-term academic training programs in development issues, the impact of which was reinforced through hands-on participation in project activitie
Community Development In Quy Chau District
Where:
Vietnam
Who:
CHF, local Vietnamese governments and the University of Vinh
Funded by:
CHF and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Purpose:
To provide sustainable food security and incomes for the people in Quy Chau. To provide clean water systems, proper sanitation and access to health care for women.
Situation:
In the isolated, remote villages of Quy Chau in Vietnam, over half the population are unable to produce enough rice to feed themselves. As well, villagers lack the resources to properly feed, vaccinate and de-worm their cows and pigs. Women have to walk up to two hours to access water, which is often not clean and contributes to water-borne diseases. For many women, poor health is a crippling factor.
Results:
- Two villages now have clean water systems and the ability to maintain them. Five additional villages have begun installing clean water systems.
- Over 100 households now have access to clean water and over 100 women are now spending reduced time gathering water.
- CHF has trained 22 local animal health specialists to provide vaccinations and demonstrate proper livestock care. The stronger livestock are bringing in much higher income for the farmers.
- CHF has provided fertilizer and a choice of rice seeds to 61 families. Their crops have almost doubled, increasing from an average of 3 tonnes/hectare to 5 tonnes/hectare.
- The project’s GIS/MIS mapping system has been developed and almost completed for 10 villages.
Community Livelihood Enhancement Through Agricultural Land Reclamation (Clear) (2008)
Where:
Quang Tri Province, Vietnam
Who:
CHF and the Mines Advisory Group (UK)
Funded by:
The Mines Advisory Group
Purpose:
To provide food security and sustainable livelihoods to poor and marginalized, many of whom turn to the illegal, risky activity of collecting unexploded ordnances (UXO) for scrap metal as income.
Situation:
The District of Dakrong in the Western part of Quang Tri Province is among the poorest in Vietnam, and has a high percentage of ethnic minority people who live on some of the least arable land.
Food security is still a serious problem in the area and many turn to scrap collecting as a way of generating a non-agricultural based income.
Making little more than a dollar a day, scrap collectors nevertheless see this risky activity as a way of generating income in poverty-stricken areas. Whole communities are put at risk along with the individual collectors because lethal unexploded ordnances are being deliberately handled or stored near population centres.
To date, organisations have concentrated mine clearance, mine risk education and victim assistance, but few have looked into alternative income strategies that will tackle the risks of scrap collecting.
Results:
- Production of healthy rice, maize and/or groundnut crops on cleared land
- Livestock fodder crops grow on cleared land
- Healthy livestock, especially pigs
- Improved knowledge of agricultural production, animal husbandry and income generation by both men and women
Building Capacity For Sustainable Livelihoods In Vietnam (2006-2009)
Where:
Vietnam
Who:
CHF and the local Vietnamese government
Funded by:
CHF and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Purpose:
To achieve sustainable livelihoods for isolated, rural and predominantly ethnic minority communities in the Quy Chau district of Nghe An province in north-central Vietnam.
Situation:
Approximately 90% of Vietnam’s poor live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. As much as 70% of this poverty is concentrated in northern regions of Vietnam, where the Nghe An province is located. Close to 75% of the population of Quy Chau district in Nghe An are ethnic minorities, marginalized both by their ethnicity and the remote areas in which they live.
Results:
- Building on the successes of CHF’s Community Development in Quy Chau District project (2003-2006), this second phase (2006-2009) has expanded the project’s reach in the district to assist 1,991 families (10,189 people) in 30 villages throughout Quy Chau.
- The project focuses on three main activities: livestock enterprise, food crop enhancement and clean water systems.
- Targeted at the poor and the ultra-poor in the region, the project has used a participatory method to assist the poorest households in communities in identifying their own priorities. Households have identified projects to increase rice, maize and groundnut yields; pig, cow and poultry raising; and clean water supply as their greatest priorities.
- · The project aims to achieve a 30% increase in real incomes for participating families in the Quy Chau villages.
On October 3, 2007, typhoon Lekima destroyed about 60% of farmers’ rice crop and cattle fodder crop. CHF responded by contributing 2 tons of paddy seed to help project beneficiaries start their crop over again.