The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue of the central province of Thua Thien – Hue coordinated with Save the Children, HelpAge International in Vietnam and the Provincial Association of the Elderly on Feb. 17 kicked off the project "Comprehensive Model for Community Resilience in Thua Thien Hue province."

The launching was held in both onsite and online formats at two bridge points, Thua Thien Hue province (Phu Gia Commune, Phu Dien Commune, Phu Vang District) and Hanoi City.

The launching aims to provide delegates and stakeholders with general information about the project, as well as to help them understand the roles and responsibilities of each party in the project implementation process. Developing a detailed plan for the project's implementation over time, focusing on the collaboration of organizations and beneficiaries in the province.

The objective of the project is to strengthen the disaster resilience of communities and schools through enhancing the disaster prevention capacity of local governments; communities and schools; and utilize and mobilize resources at the community, school and other stakeholder groups in the local disaster preparedness program.

Accordingly, the main results of the project include: Capacity building for commune authorities, community organizations, mass organizations to support communities in preventing and mitigating impacts from natural disasters; Capacity strengthening for commune-level local authorities and community response teams to assist local communities in responding to natural disasters; Capacity improving for provincial authorities to well coordinate resources for disaster prevention and response.

In additions, beneficiary schools will able to implement the safe schools framework of the Ministry of Education and Training to reduce disaster risks for teachers and students.

HelpAge will be in charge of technical support for the entire project area, integrating the content of older people integration into the community-based disaster risk management program.

Addressing the event, Ho Viet Le, head of the representative board of the Association of the Elderly of Thua Thien Hue Province, noted at the occasion that climate change is increasing the number and scope of natural catastrophes, as well as making them more difficult to foresee.

Because of their frailty, elderly individuals are struck more when calamity strikes. However the majority of older people can still play a critical role in catastrophe prevention and control in their communities. Vietnamese older people are living longer and in better health; they have a wealth of knowledge and experience, including indigenous knowledge that can support in disaster prevention and control; they are a developing force in the community.

Furthermore, the Elderly Association is expanding and can effectively contribute in catastrophe prevention and control.

The Elderly Association in Thua Thien Hue has been consolidated. By 2021, there will be 145 grassroots associations in the province, including 98 commune-level units, 39 wards, and eight town-level organizations, with a total of 170,527 older individuals, including 137,744 members, accounting for 81% of the province's older people.

Le also stated the Provincial Committee of the Elderly Association's goals, roles, and actions in the project's component linked to the subject of integrating older people into community-based catastrophe risk management (CBA), also known as Project VIE083.

Illustrative image. Photo: VNA

Tran Bich Thuy, country director of HelpAge International in Vietnam, emphasized two issues for disaster risk management.

First, how to promote the role and contribution of older people - a growing local force, especially when most of them are young, have good health, have experience, skills, prestige, voice, and responsibility in the community.

Second, how to ensure the special needs, reduce risk factors or vulnerability of older people related to health, disability, income security, and other issues.

To address the above two issues, HelpAgewill review programs, policies, guidelines, and data collection forms to identify gaps in the integration of older people's integration content, which will serve as a foundation for suggesting project changes. Also modified the previous stage's instructions and checklists to make them more applicable to this level.

Thuy hopes that the departments that are participating in today's launch will help the Project run smoothly and be a huge success.

The fourth phase of the project "Building Resilience to Natural Hazards in Central Vietnam" known as Project VIE083. Phase 1 - VIE056, phase 2 - VIE068, and phase 3 - VIE075, have all been completed successfully.

The American Red Cross receives funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/BHA - Original Sponsor). Following that, the American Red Cross supported the Vietnam Alliance of Organizations.

The American Red Cross in Vietnam and project implementation groups in different areas, such as the Vietnam Red Cross Association, Catholic Relief Service in Vietnam, Plan International, and Save the Children, manage the Project Implementation Coalition.

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