Start date: October 1997
Expected end date: September 2015
Support office: World Vision Germany
Location: Vinh Linh District, Quang Tri Province

Program background

Quang Tri Province is located in central Vietnam. Vinh Linh, the northern district in Quang Tri Province covers a total area of 62 square kilometers, which contains two towns and twenty communes. The district population is 85,841, consisting of 20,368 households. There are 2,696 Van Kieu ethnic minority people living in three mountainous communes, with the remainder being Kinh ethnic minority people living in three coastal areas, five plains and eleven midland communes. The standard of living in the two towns and five plains communes is higher than that in the remaining 15 communes. Crop production, animal husbandry and fishing are the main sources of livelihood in the district.

Program description

Vinh Linh Area Development Program (ADP) is an integrated, long-term program working closely with local partners to directly support more than 25,809 people combat the effects of poverty and improve their standard of living. Interventions focusing on agriculture, income generation, education, health-care, 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

Vinh Linh ADP has been in operation since 1997, and works with the local people to combat poverty and improve their standard of living. In 2005, the program increased its working area from two to nine target communes.

Health

• Children receive health check-ups to monitor their growth and development.
• Mothers and women of reproductive age attend health education training where they learn about adequate nutrition and childcare practices.
• Training is conducted at schools and community centers to increase community members’ knowledge regarding hygiene and sanitation practices.
• Commune health stations have been renovated, enabling health staff to treat patients in a safer and more comfortable environment.
• Provision of basic medical equipment supports health workers to increase the quality of services available at the commune level.
• Basic health care training increases the skills and knowledge of hamlet and commune health care workers, which they can share with other community members.

Agriculture

• Farmer-to-farmer extension networks have been established at hamlet and commune levels, supporting farmers to share experiences, skills and knowledge.
• Construction of small irrigation works helps to improve rice-cultivating conditions.
• Successful agriculture models have been replicated and households have the opportunity to learn and improve their agricultural skills, in turn, improving their capacity to increase their crop yields.
• Fertilizer, seeds and agricultural tools are provided to farmers to support their work.
• Animal husbandry activities including fish rearing and pig raising has improved food security in the area, and provides many households with the opportunity to increase their incomes.

Education

• Teachers receive training on new teaching methods, increasing their professional skills and improving the quality of education taught at kindergarten, and primary and junior secondary schools.
• 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 school children.
• Essential school equipment such as uniforms, school bags and textbooks are provided to needy kindergarten, primary and junior secondary school children to encourage school attendance
• Scholarships for children in difficult circumstances are provided, giving them the opportunity to gain a valuable education.
• An early childhood care and development (ECCD) demonstration pilot for home-based care has been implemented to improve the quality of care and education for children under 5.

Capacity building

• Local leaders and hamlet facilitators participate in development training courses, improving their capacity to manage current program interventions.
• Study tours to other program sites are organized for local leaders and hamlet facilitators. Best lessons learnt are then shared and replicated in their own community.

Disability

• Disabled clubs have been set up, enabling children living with a disability to participate in social activities and sport competitions.
• Specific training on education for children with a disability has supported teachers to create an appropriate learning environment and apply effective teaching methods for these children.