Started in 1999, the program has been quite successful, namely thanks to the good collaboration with the local authorities. It is expanding progressively to cover all communes; new actions are also added.
More information about the different programs and activities are available on the community development pages. On this one they are put into the local context, and their performances are presented.
Program data
|
Beginning date |
04/1999 |
|
Partners |
Local : People's Committee, Women's Union
and the Education Department of the district , the Health Center,
the Agriculture Extension Bureau, the Bureau for Culture and information
etc. |
Funding: Belgian Cooperation, the Canada Fund, the Regional Council of Ile de France, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France), the embassy of New Zealand, East Meets West, the American Jewish World Service, Operation USA, Children for a better world (Germany), the Up Micro-Loans foundation, Fraternité Saint-Paul, etc. |
Region
The inhabitants of Dúc Linh and Tánh Linh are mostly economic immigrants coming from poorer regions of Vietnam. Situated at 150km North of Hochiminh City, they are at the border of the province of Dong Nai.
Two decades ago, they were covered by rainforest. Today, the population of each amounts to 124000 and 93.000. Population growth used to be high but is less now thanks to the government efforts for family planning. Today there are less and less pupils in the primary schools.
The resources of this region are : paddy, fruit trees, livestock, and fishing for those living close to the La Nga river.
The average annual income of the population is estimated at about 200 US$, well below the national average (440 US$ in 2002)
The reasons for poverty are many: lack of capital, shortage of land for some, archaic techniques, remoteness from the main markets etc. As usual, the people turn to the moneylenders who charge very high interest rate (10% monthly or more). When the need for investment is urgent for purchasing seeds, fertilizer, fish net, harvest tools etc. it is very difficult to access enough capital even from moneylenders, which is the worst situation.
The impact of this poverty on health care and education is disastrous.
Few families have latrines. Water is polluted and the hygiene standard is notoriously insufficient. A recent survey carried out by Viêt Nam Plus and the Health Department of the district showed that 90% of people are infested by worms. Due to the lack of mosquito nets, people are easily exposed to malaria or dengue fever.
A quarter of the children do not continue beyond primary school, although the population is unusually keen for their education, as often for the people from the North.
The People's Committee and the Women's Union of the 21 communes are competent and motivated, except for 1; which is a key factor of success to run program in Vietnam.
Beneficiaries
Mid 1999, at the request of the People's Committee of the province for assistance to the very poor households whose yearly income is appromately 100 € per person -much lower than half the GDP per capita (the World Bank criteria for defining the "poorest"), Viêt Nam Plus has conducted participatory surveys together with the Women Union and the Education Bureau to understand the needs. Cadres of these institutions have then visited similar projects in the Southern region of Vietnam. Finally a program of Community Development has been proposed, including several components: Saving-Credit, Community Health and Education, Agriculture Extension.
Results
The program initially covered 5 communes, and has expanded to 21 since. It will soon cover another 3.
Savings-Credit:
| April 2002 | |
|---|---|
Number of members |
6000 |
Savings € |
124.000 |
Loans (credit) € |
137.000 |
Reimbursement rate |
98% |
Agriculture: around 900 farmers have formed farmers groups and meet every 1-2 months for exchanges and training. The program has trained 24 extension workers: they are now the essential link between the farmers' groups and the government or program cadres. Every year about 20 pilot sites implemented with program assitance by the farmers on their own fields promote better techniques, new seeds etc.
Livestock: training of 42 para-vets. 2/3 work full time. They now have a new job and make a living through the services they provide to the population. With program assistance 40 pilot sites promote better techniques for raising pigs, chicken rabbits, goats etc. Like for agriculture, from time to time field visits are organized to learn from advanced farmers in other regions.
Health : The women members have access to interest-free loans for water filters, latrines and wells. 4000 households are now equipped. The rate of households equipped with a clean hygienic latrine increases from 10% to 75% between the new members and old women's groups. The deworming tablets are sold at cost-price: 0.5 € for one family every 5 to 6 months. Training on prevention is provided to the group leaders, village workers etc.
Health education at school: the teachers are trained in active pedagogy so that the children would not any longer learn by heart how to brush their teeth, but... do it! 25.000 children participate in the program, in 40 schools. Surprise visits in the schools prove the program has a positive impact: personal hygiene is monitored, as well as the cleanliness of the school, the availability of clean water, etc.
Scholarships for the very poorest: some people face extraordinary hardship and immediate assistance is needed. Viêt Nam Plus provides scholarships in 2 installments of 8 € each to 900 children (3% of the pupils). As usual, community participation is encouraged: in sign of solidarity with the poorest, in the 2 districts 35.220 people participated in a "mini-marathon", children, but also elderly people and top government officials.
Literacy class: despite obvious needs, no progress so far. The competition with television is fierce. There are more TV sets (per capita) in Vietnam than in many other countries in Asia. The population has asked instead for community libraries: about 30 people or more form a group and pay a small fee (0,7 €) which will help buy the books. Viêt Nam Plus lens a small cupboard (13 €) and pay for half the price of the books. One buys also old newspapers by the kilo as the people think they cannot subscribe, they are too expensive. 25 community libraries have been set up as of today, with a total membership of 615. Over 450 books are borrowed each month.
The 2 education theater groups produce 4-10 shows a week, but less during the rains. The group from Dúc Linh has produced a new small one: a woman tries to persuade her husband to stop drinking. The man becomes nervous, and more and more upset, he starts beating his wife, and finally throws her out. Then the mediator invites people from among the public to intervene. The public is very excited because alcoholism is a real problem. Some women cry. Several times one has to protect the drunk husband, as the women and men beat him without restraint...
Earth day, 22nd April : every year Viêt Nam Plus organizes a small event about the environment: too many plastic bags! This year it was not a small event any more: competition between the 25 primary schools, for the one who could collect the largest quantity of plastic bags (per registered pupil). 46.200 people participated, collecting over 34,5 tons of these dirty bags. They were sold to a small enterprise for recycling. Everybody is happy, the television and provincial press were there too. The Education Department has requested this program to take place every 6 months!
- Evaluation
report for the year 2003 (
170 Kb) - Evaluation
report for the year 2000 (
176 Kb) - Evaluation
report for the year 1999 (
113 Kb)
Case studies and stories
Most of the following case studies and stories are in English, some older ones are in French:
- Thân fights
the bird flu! (March 30th, 2004,
82 Kb)
Education for all is a top priority. However, children who have the skills to succeed are in danger to stop school because their parents cannot always pay. In this case, ascholarship allows them to extend their child's education. - Ngân:
education is their priority (December 21st, 2003,
34 Kb)
Education for all is a top priority. However, children who have the skills to succeed are in danger to stop school because their parents cannot always pay. In this case, ascholarship allows them to extend their child's education. - September
2nd: 19.145 participants to the running organised in Dúc Linh!
(September 4th, 2003,
123 Kb)
The "marathon" organised by Viêt Nam Plus in solidarity with the poorest pupils of the district has been a real success. - May 31st:
This time we made it! - non-smoking day in Dúc Linh (June
3rd, 2003,
115 Kb)
The third trial was the good one: Viêt Nam Plus may finally organise a marathon of sensibilisation against smoking. - April 22nd:
Earth Day in Dúc Linh and Tánh Linh (April 30th, 2003,
140 Kb)
This yearly collection of garbage is a success: the consciousness-raising action reaches this year more than 46,000 children! - Too
poor for microcredit... (March 17th, 2003,
110 Kb)
Microcredit is not always panacea. Some are particularly poor, Viêt Nam Plus helps them a.o. with scholarships for children. - Madam
Phuong’s Christmas gift (December 26th, 2002,
115 Kb)
Madam Phuong succeeded thanks to her beautiful craft. Rescue of a family. - Anh is
acting so well, and you know why… (April 9th, 2002,
108 Kb)
Alcoholism, violence in her family... and the girl is improvising at the theater. - And, in French:
- Mme
Dep fait des émules (11 février 2002,
65 Kb)
- Madame
Sau, coordinatrice villageoise (2 septembre 2001,
60 Kb)
- Peut-on
permettre le travail des enfants ? (15 juin 2001,
108 Kb)
- Des entreprises partenaires de nos programmes (22 novembre 2000)
- Viêt Nam Plus donne un coup de pouce à l'épargne
(article du journal "La Croix" du 31 mai 2000, repris
dans le recueil
des témoignages de l'année 2000, p. 24,
462 Kb)
- Mme
Dep fait des émules (11 février 2002,
Difficulties
When a program develops, more and more different partners become involved, which sometimes result in some confusion. Sometimes partners in a specific commune are not up to the task (corruption for instance). However, to become sustainable, the Savings-Credit program must reach a critical mass. This expansion raises issues to be handled carefully.
Operating in 21 communes, Viêt Nam Plus enjoys remarkable collaboration from most local authortities; in one commune however the people's committee does not cooperate at all and the crdit program is a failure.
Prospects
The program will continue to consolidate itself and expand to cover almost all the 25 communes in the 2 districts. The VBA (Vietnam Bank for Agriculture) has improved its performances and delivers cheap loans in a few days, provided one has a land title. A new loan can be obtained within less than a week, after the first is reimbursed: as a result many people borrow from moneylenders to refund the first and get the next loan: indebtness increases, not savings. The savings-credit program of Viêt Nam Plus may not develop as widely planned. Furthermore it will be difficult to make it sustainable, as the members only borrow very small amounts, they prefer to take the other, larger loans from the bank! The interests on the loans cover 50% of the budget for this year.
But other programs, like the farmers' groups, are expected to multiply and reach 2-3 times more people within the next 2 years.
