Program background

Trieu Phong District is located 9 kilometers south of Dong Ha, the capital of Quang Tri Province. Trieu Phong District has 18 communes and one town. The population of the district is 110,000 people, consisting of 22,010 households. Most households are involved in agriculture production (mainly rice farming) to earn an income, however lack of skills, knowledge and weather conditions make it difficult to consistently produce enough crops to earn a living and be food secure. Health facilities are limited at the commune level and schools are often under-resourced.

Program description

Trieu Phong ADP is an integrated, long-term program working closely with local partners to directly support 36,734 people combat the effects of poverty and improve their standard of living. Interventions focusing on agriculture, income generation, disaster mitigation, education, early childhood care and development, health-care and community-based rehabilitation, childcare and protection, micro-enterprise, and capacity building are tailored specifically to the communities needs.  This holistic approach encourages community participation and ownership, builds a firm foundation for the program’s sustainability and addresses the root causes of poverty.

Program Development

Human trafficking prevention

• As part of the Mekong Delta Regional Trafficking Strategy Project (MDRTS), awareness-raising activities on trafficking prevention are implemented at the community level. Activities focus on building capacity of local organizations and community members in combating trafficking of women and children.

Health

• District and commune health care workers receive professional training on preventable diseases, supplementary feeding practices, and adequate water and sanitation practices.
• Annual health check-ups for women and children are provided to monitor their growth and development.
• Construction of household latrines continues to improve community hygiene and sanitation practices.
• Commune health stations have been renovated and basic equipment supplied, improving the quality of services available.

Agriculture

• Farmers are supported to apply new models of agriculture cultivation such as rice, fish, cotton, and peanuts. The VAC model (gardening, fish rearing and animal husbandry) has been adopted by farmers, and is assisting farmers to diversify their crop production.
• Construction of small irrigation works helps improve rice-cultivating conditions.

Education

• Children in difficult circumstances receive scholarships to attend school and are provided with school uniforms, alleviating the financial burden from their families.
• Construction of classrooms and the provision of essential equipment such as desks and chairs provide safe and effective learning environments for kindergarten, primary and junior secondary students.
• Teachers receive training on new teaching methods, increasing their professional skills and improving the quality of education taught at kindergartens and primary schools.

“My way of teaching is much improved after attending training. Before, we did not recognize the importance of playing outside with substances like sand and water. We found that children talk more while playing, and their language skills develop faster. I really like the idea of learning while playing.”
 Ms. Luu, Trieu Trung kindergarten teacher.

• Parents, care givers and volunteers receive training on early childhood care and development (ECCD), learning about the importance of child safety and protection.
• Through informal trainings and workshops community members learn about the importance of child rights and protection.

Capacity Building

• Program partners receive training on effective program planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Through different training days the community network of hamlet facilitators has been strengthened.
• Annual review workshops and study tours for program partners provide an effective environment to share experiences and best practices.

Disability

• Training is provided to community members and families to help identify signs of disability and support disabled members of the community.
• People living with a disability (PLWD) are supported to interact with other community members.
• Rehabilitation services have been established, supporting people living with a disability and their families with the ongoing challenges they come across on a daily basis.