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A LESSON FROM QUANG TRI AND THANH HOA

It is undeniable that natural disasters are unavoidable and Vietnam has so far suffered huge human and property losses. With a view to supporting localities in the country to deal with natural disasters, a project funded by the European Commission’s Disaster Preparedness Program (DIPECHO) and World Vision is being deployed in Quang Tri, Thanh Hoa and Yen Bai provinces. The project has gone three quarters of its lifespan marked by surprising changes concerning locals’ ever higher awareness and readiness to fight against natural disasters.

Target of the project

While localities in all three regions in Vietnam have been living with disasters for centuries, their response is usually based on traditional and social ties. During non-productive storm periods, household members often prepare for disasters, storing rice seed and food in the roofs of their houses, repairing boats, and building containing walls around buildings. However, due to a lack of information, this response is not always systematic, nor planned, and thus result with varied success.

One of the strongest methods to address disaster preparedness is at the household and hamlet level, as there is usually little immediate external assistance, and the localities’ response to an emergency will be the determinant of lives and possessions that are saved from disaster. Thus working with households to identify preparedness plans, and mitigation activities, in collaboration with mass organisations, will provide a framework that families will know and understand prior to the onset of a disaster situation.

Therefore, the "Community-based Disaster Risk Management" project has been launched in three communes in Yen Bai, three communes in Thanh Hoa and two communes in Quang Tri with a lifespan of 14 months from March 1, 2007 and April 30, 2008.

The specific objective of the project is the strengthening of disaster preparedness and mitigation capacity of local stakeholders in 8 communes in three target districts in these provinces.

The activities include orientation workshops at district level and commune levels, training of district administration’s sectoral institutions, project management boards and project staff on disaster risk management and community-based disaster risk management (DRM-CBDRM) planning and programming, inter-sectoral planning exercises at district for enhanced disaster preparedness and integration for CBDRM into socio development planning in Trieu Phong district of Quang Tri province, Lang Chanh district of Thanh Hoa province and Tam Tau district of Yen Bai province.

The project also focuses on establishing fire-break lines in the areas at high risk of forest fires (in Lang Chanh and Tram Tau only) and multi-purpose nurseries and provision of seedlings for reforestation (in Lang Chanh and Tram Tau), supporting the growing of Vetiver grass to minimise land slide and erosion, training people in villages on multi-purpose varieties for reforestation.

In order to mobilise all forces to fight against natural disasters, rapid brigade teams and rapid response teams are set up at commune and village levels in these three districts. Fire brigade teams are provided with rescue kits and first aid emergency kits. Radio networks are installed in communes and villages together with the training on the use of these facilities and on disaster risk training for children.

The project is estimated to benefit about 21,000 people mainly poor farmers vulnerable to storms, floods, droughts, forest fires and landslides in these three provinces. Then, it is expected that beneficiaries will promote the sharing of lessons and advocacy for replication.

Impressive achievements in Quang Tri and Thanh Hoa

Earlier, we were of the same view that the project created an opportunity for local people to employ more methods to deal with natural disasters to combine with their traditional measures due to the short period of the project. However, it was beyond our expectation as we witnessed the remarkable changes in terms of awareness and abilities to prevent and control natural disasters in Trieu Phong and Lang Chanh districts.

During the working sessions and meetings with local administration and residents in the targeted districts, they affirmed that the project has raised the awareness of the local people on disaster mitigation through training courses, community planning, appropriate preventative activities, and emergency response.

Deputy Chairman of Trieu Phong district People's Committee, Nguyen Huu Thanh said: "The project is being run in a scientific manner. Course participants were teachers selected from schools and members of mass movement organisations, including the Women’s Union, Farmers’ Union, Youth Union, and hamlet facilitators of targeted communes. After the training courses, they extended their knowledge and technical skills on disaster preparedness to students, colleagues, and other community members."

Coping With Natural Disasters

For further information on World Vision project, please check their website

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