The previous programs

Viêt Nam Plus insists on the participation of the beneficiaries. If the local authorities want to control all the funds, there is a problem. If working without corruption is not possible, Viêt Nam Plus does not hesitate to withdraw.

• Bình Minh district, Vinh Long province
• Dinh Quán district, Dông Nai province
• Tiên Thành local council, Phan Thiêt district - Bình Thuân province
• Go Vap district, 17th ward - Hô Chí Minh City

Bình Minh, Vinh Long province

After a long and careful preparation, followed by a very quick start, the program was brutally stopped without explantaion, by a few district cadres, who went against the expectations of the people.

More information about the different programs and activities are available on the community development page. On this one they are put into the local context, and their performances are presented.

Program data

Early in 2001, Viêt Nam Plus explored possibilities for new projects in the Mekong delta. It is in Bình Minh, in Vinh Long, that the People's Committee showed the more interest. Vinh Long is one of the richest rural provinces, in the fertile Mekong delta. Bình Minh, is the district closest to Cân Tho. During the last few years many people have improved their economic condition, but others have also stagnated or lost ground. Many even have lost their land. The poorest belong to the Khmer community, their income is about half the income of the "Viets" (Kinh).

Besides the socio-economic polarization, many communes in the district are flooded every year during several months, because of the rains and the rising river waters. Thousands of houses are below water, causing serious sanitation problems. Sometimes the crops are lost as well, when the water rises too high or faster than expected.

In face of this poverty affecting part of the population, maybe 30% earn only 0,5 €/day; some leave for Hochiminh City to look for work.

The program

The district authorities and the authorities of the 4 communes covered by the program, have visited the on-going program of Viêt Nam Plus in Dúc Linh and Tánh Linh: this visit confirmed their motivation about the program. Without waiting for the contract to be signed, the Women's Union started working immediately to implement the model set up by Viêt Nam Plus in Dúc Linh.

Bình Minh had to insist with the higher authorities to allow the necessary flexibility to the program: the province insisted to manage the funds, which Viêt Nam Plus does not want at the beginning anyway. The contract was finally signed first for 4 communes, in November 2001, with the same components: Savings-Credit, Community Health, Education, Agriculture Extension etc.

Results

In 3 months the program team (1 Viêt Nam Plus senior staff, 6 village workers from the Women's Union) had already organized 660 women into Savings-Credit groups: we had to stop this because of the shortage of funds! But in April again 100 more women made their way through and registered as new groups, trained by the WU. Viêt Nam Plus had to announce no loans would be allowed for any new group!

The priority is first to train the village workers. Chosen from among the group members, they are the most dynamic and motivated, with time available for a full time job (6 days/week). They receive a more advanced continuous training and progressively take responsibility for all the groups in their village. The best of them manage to follow-up about 50 groups (50 meetings/week) and a capital soon growing up to 18.000 € (savings and credit combined). They are paid from a part of the interests on the loans.

Savings-Credit

2002
Number members	872
Savings (€)	10.000
Loans (€)	20.220
Reimbursement rate	100%, then 90%

Case studies

• Two households share a capital of 7.4 € (March 11th, 2002, 89 Kb)
  Start of the microcredit programme in Bình Minh: the context with the usurers.

Prospects

The other programs could not yet start then suddenly the district officials decided to stop the program. No explanation was ever provided, no meeting could be held. The women members were asking for the program to conitnue, supported by the Women's Union cadres in the communes. Almost all loans have been refunded, then Viêt Nam Plus withdrew its staff who were left with no work in Bình Minh. Fortunately the villages nearby, in Châu Thành district, were very quick to invite Viêt Nam Plus; a contract has been signed and the program is shifted to Châu Thành, with staff and funds. Viêt Nam Plus keeps in contact with Bình Minh, and will return if the conditions permit. Village workers of Bình Minh will be invited to participate in the training sessions in Châu Thành.

Dinh Quán - Province of Dông Nai

Program data

Region

Dinh Quan is one of the poorest regions of the province. About 50% of the population live beyond the poverty line. In the four communes covered by the program, poor households amount to 35000 people. At the commune of Thanh Son, the poverty rate is up to 90%. 11% are considered as malnourished. Most of the houses are made of bamboo and leaves with no latrines. Power is available only along main roads.

For the last 20 years, the population has tremendously increased in this former rainforest area. In Thanh Son alone, the population number increased from 1000 to 30000 people. In other villages, a 30% increase rate is considered as normal. The construction of the hydro-electric water dam of Tri An took the best parts of arable land. Some landless people managed to survive thanks to forest products but the access has become restricted. Some live as seasonal agricultural laborers and 60% are unemployed during the dry seasons.

The new comers arrived mostly from the North or Center of Vietnam because of the extreme poverty in their original regions. Though, their condition has not always improved in Dong Nai. There are not less than 16 ethnic groups in Dinh Quan. In Tuc Trung, the Chau Jro are the majority.

On average, the region gets 2100-2500 h of sunshine and 2100-2000 mm of rainfall a year. Some small rivers cross the region but do not supply enough water during the dry season. The only water source for irrigation is from the river of Dong Nai or the artificial lake of Tri An.

The most serious health problem commonly observed is the lack of hygiene and clean water. It results in diarrhea, skin diseases, malaria, dengue fever and gynecological illness. No reliable statistics are available for malnutrition but considering the environment, the rate must be higher than the national average of 39%.

Each commune in principle has a health center with a doctor and some assistants. Nonetheless, they do not reach the most remote villages and the vaccination coverage drops there under 50%.

The region being very extended, some schools are quite far for the children. The roads are in bad shape especially during the raining season. The attendance then sometimes less. Some 3rd grade pupils stay three years at the same level because they cannot go to other distant schools (8 km sometimes). Schools are in general under equipped: black board, table, roof leaking etc. No school has a well, nor a water filter, latrines etc.

Results

The program started in 1995 in 1 commune and has expanded to 4 in 1997. In 1998 there was a change in the leadership at the district, and the vice-president decided he wanted to control all the funds. As a result, the program came to a stand-still at the end of 1999.

Difficulties

The people have clearly expressed their wish that the program should continue, because it freed them from the moneylenders and improved their condition. The commune authorities have supported their demand. But the vice-president of the district insisted he would control the funds himself. The women had said that if their savings were to be deposited with the authorities, they would rather withdraw them all. 800 petitions were sent to the district, to no avail.

Viêt Nam Plus withdrew from Dinh Quán in the beginning of 2001. The vice-president had forbidden almost any meeting or training. But 90% of the loans have been reimbursed, as the women really hoped till the last moment that the program would start again. Since the program stopped, the moneylenders have increased their business again: because of the program their rate had fallen by half, now it is increasing again. The Women's Union hardly continued any of the programs, but a small number of groups continue to function with their savings, some village workers continue to go and meet them...

Agriculture: about 200 farmers were trained in groups meetings. 63% of them improved their yield, 50% now apply preventive methods against pests (against 7% before the start of the program).

Livestock: 35 para-vets trained. The value of the livestock saved by them has been estimated at 6.600 € monthly.

Health care: 1273 households are now equipped with a clean well, latrines or a water filter. Thousand of people are protected against worms. Training on preventive health and hygiene has been given to 2500 women, either during groups meetings, or to training of group leaders or village workers. A test showed 80% trainees have acquired a satisfactory level.

Health education in primary schools: 12.500 schoolchildren trained

Evaluation of the program at the end of 2000: before withdrawing from the area, Viêt Nam Plus made a detailed evaluation, by comparing the same households after 3 years or more (detailed data was available from the baseline survey). A net increase of 54% in incomes has been observed (on top of all other factors). It has been very sad to leave these women, after so many years together. They may loose some benefits, but the training they have received -Viêt Nam Plus provided every year 15-20.000 people-days of training, their confidence and courage will remain. They speak more for themselves and play a more important role in their community.

• Evaluation report for the year 2000 ( 176 Kb)
• Evaluation report for the year 1999 ( 113 Kb)

Case studies & stories

The following stories are in French only. They are available in the compilation of stories (15-04-2001, 462 Kb). Some are also available as web pages via the links below.

• Une journée à Dinh Quán (September 10th, 2002, 120 Kb)
• Ce n'est tout de même pas pour vous faire plaisir (December 10th, 2000)
• Facettes d'une petite société rurale (Augustus 7th, 2000)
• Le programme ne peut pas s'arrêter ! (July 11th, 2000)
• Monsieur Xá (June 15th, 2000)
• Un district difficile (May 24th, 2000)
• Cuc, une femme de courage (January 19th, 2000)
• Faut-il faire payer les plus pauvres ? (October 16th, 1999)
• Les messieurs de Thanh Son (Augustus 12, 1999)
• Avec l'Union des Femmes : un partenariat difficile ! (July 28th, 1999)
• La dynamique madame bong (March 14th, 1999)

Prospects

Viêt Nam Plus will return to Dinh Quan if normal working conditions can be assured again. Higher authorities have expressed their support...

Tiên Thành local council, Phan Thiêt district - Bình Thuân province

Program data

Region

The commune of Tien Thanh is situated at 210km North of Hochiminh City. Its people are mainly fishermen. Many had been expelled from the provincial town of Phan Thiet by the end of the war in 1975. The village is without resource, the sandy land is so poor that hardly anything grows.

Results

Viêt Nam Plus first built a school: before the children had to climb a high sand dune and walk a long way to go to school. Many parents did not dare sending the youngest and the girls. This school has enabled 40 children to go to school.

The important part of the program was the Community Development component and Saving-Credit. Two hundred women, one quarter of the village population, quickly joined the scheme. They showed up their strongest willingness to be part of the saving program. They wanted to free themselves from the moneylenders who in this area lend in cash to be refunded in fish at outrageous interest rates of up to 500%.

Difficulties

The program at the commune of Tien Thanh was going very smoothly until the local authorities began to interfere. They had been involved in the program since the beginning, but this is a demanding task: so many groups who meet every week... They tried to confiscate the savings funds of the women, who quickly gathered and refused all together. They proposed the authorities take the books instead but not the funds. The Parti Secretary was arrested and charged with corruption (he misappropriated 15.000 €), and the People's Committee did not have clean hands either. Finally, the Viêt Nam Plus staff in charge of this program was no more authorized to go to the villages. The province was really upset and was unable to settle the conflict. Viêt Nam Plus withdrew from Tien Thanh in 1999.

Prospects

Viêt Nam Plus keeps some contact with the most dynamic members. Sometimes they are invited to training session in other programs. Some channel funds borrowed from the bank and redistribute them to other villagers.

We still hope to return to Tien Thanh some day and work again with these fantastic women.

Go Vap, 17th ward - Hô Chí Minh City

Program data

Region

The 17th ward of Go Vap counts for a couple of hundred poor households: the men are rickshawpullers, the women are workers or street peddler. They all get into debt with moneylenders who charge 120% as friendly rate, often the double.

Results

A small-scale Saving-Credit program has been implemented together with the People's Committee. 80 households have joint the solidarity groups. Unfortunately, the daughter of one cadre of the People's Committee has been imposed to manage the program. She did not have the skills ... The Parti Secretary told us he was very much aware of the problem but that he was unable to resolve the problem. 1.500 € have been lost and Viêt Nam Plus withdrew from this program since 1997.

Viêt Nam Plus focus on the strong participation of the beneficiaries, firstly the women et the poorest. The system in Vietnam is still very centralized and local cadres tend to over-control. When it comes to a dead lock to work without participation and innovation, we generally do not hesitate to withdraw.