MCNV empowers 1,100 ethnic minority women in Phu Yen mountainous district
On January 3rd 2025, in La Hai township of Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province, MCNV in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Dong Xuan District and the District’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) organized a year-end workshop to review activities of the project “Boosting Income and Jobs for Poor Women” (referred to as the BIJPO project).
The workshop was attended by the project management unit (including the People’s Committee, DARD, Department of Ethnic Affairs, Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Women’s Union), leaders of people’s committees of the project communes, and representatives of women’s cooperative groups.
Mr. Pham Dung (left), Country Director of MCNV Vietnam, learns about the black snail farming model in Hamlet 1, Da Loc Commune, Dong Xuan District, Phu Yen Province.
The BIJPO project, implemented in the period of 2022 – 2025, covers 15 villages in 6 mountainous communes of Dong Xuan district. The project aims to improve income, create jobs, enhance agricultural production capacity, and reduce food insecurity for poor women in ethnic minority communities.
The project is funded by GSRD, Hulza, Wincloves and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands) and has financial contributions from the local authority. Key activities include: establishing and operating women’s cooperative groups specialized in agricultural and non-agricultural production and business; promoting household-level agricultural production activities; and supporting micro-entrepreneurs for food and agricultural supplies.
MCNV and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of Dong Xuan district visit the Cooperative Group for Production and Processing of Coconut Products in Da Loc commune.
After more than two years of implementation, the BIJPO project has achieved many encouraging results. Nearly 1,100 women (exceeding the initial target of 600 women) from poor, near-poor, and disadvantaged households have improved their income and jobs, agricultural production conditions, and local food sources through the aforementioned activities.
The BIJPO project introduces diversity in the application of various production models tailored to natural conditions, local cultural practices, and the utilization of available resources. It also enhances capacity-building and empowers beneficiaries to take ownership of their progress.
The models implemented under the project are highly diverse, including community-based tourism, brocade weaving, plastic furniture knitting, livestock farming (pigs, cows, chickens, fish, black snails, etc.), cultivation (organic vegetable farming, fruit tree and forestry tree planting, bamboo planting, mushroom growing), acacia seedling nurseries, agricultural product processing, and more.
A greenhouse model in Xi Thoai hamlet, Xuan Lanh commune
In 2025, MCNV and the PMU of Dong Xuan district will focus on strengthening the management and operational capacity of women’s cooperative groups. The project partners will also work on scaling up best practices in agricultural and non-agricultural production, contributing to Dong Xuan District’s implementation of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021–2030 period.
In memoriam Dr. Nguyen Tuyen Quang (October 15, 1949 – November 13, 2024)
by Ron Marchand
On November 13, 2024, entomologist Dr. Nguyen Tuyen Quang passed away. From 1993 onwards he led a team of Vietnamese researchers for more than twenty years at the malaria field station established by MCNV in Khánh Phú, a village in the mountains 30 kilometers inland from Nha Trang, south central Vietnam.
Dr.Nguyen Tuyen Quang (left) and his colleagues work in a field station in Khanh Phu commune.
MCNV supported the Vietnamese malaria institutes at that time to see whether insecticide-treated mosquito nets would be a good alternative to DDT in the fight against malaria. The old-fashioned spraying of the walls in houses with DDT no longer worked well and purchasing the product abroad became too expensive.
Khánh Phú was one of the most malaria endemic places in Vietnam and the project studied all aspects of the epidemiology (human behaviour, mosquitoes, parasites and the environment) in great detail. Among other things, to find out whether the introduction of mosquito nets would not be counterproductive due to the loss of natural immunity build-up during childhood. In 1998, five years after the start of the study, malaria in the village had decreased by 80% and the people became healthier. However, it did not work against a malaria mosquito that lives deeper in the forest, a situation that was studied in depth by Quang and his colleagues from 2000 onwards to improve the situation further.
Numbers and measurements were sacred
Quang was chosen as team leader by his boss at the malaria institute, Dr. Nguyen Tho Vien, who, next to me, was the spiritual father of the project. This was a logical choice because Quang was one of the few who also spoke English, could write reports, but above all because he was very dedicated and good in data analysis. For both Vien and Quang, numbers and measurements were sacred – even if these were difficult to explain or contradicted expectations.
I remember the collaboration with Quang as special. We could spend days (sometimes nights) talking about malaria research, during which I learned a lot from him about the specific problems in Vietnam. The management of the Khanh Phu the project was a bit exceptional: everyone in the team could think along and participate in decision-making. Very different from the usual top-down approach in which ‘a boss decides everything and sends his soldiers into the field to do the hard work without getting credit for it’. Quang could identify well with the participatory MCNV approach and helped me to find the right balance to keep the team’s freedom while preserving the goodwill of far-away directors.
Ron Marchand worked for MCNV from 1990 – 2016
MCNV Supports 100 Households Severely Affected by Typhoon Yagi in Yen Bai Province
On October 9th, 2024, through the provincial Women’s Union, a delegation from the Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) visited Yen Bai province and provided support to 100 households that were severely affected by Typhoon Yagi in September 2024.
As part of the working trip, MCNV visited and directly provided assistance to 10 families, including 3 households of persons with disabilities, who suffered significant losses in Tran Yen district, Yen Bai province. Each package included 5 million VND in cash and a rice cooker.
The beneficiaries are low-income households, including a person with disability living alone in a remote and difficult-to-access areas. Their sole source of income is agriculture. The widespread flooding and massive landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi resulted in substantial losses to both their homes and their livelihoods.
MCNV handovers 90 rice cookers to Yen Bai Women’s Union.
In addition to providing direct aid to 10 affected households, MCNV also handed over 90 rice cookers to the Yen Bai Women’s Union. These cookers will be distributed to 90 other affected households in the province in October 2024.
MCNV hopes these small gifts will support local people as they rebuild their lives after the natural disasters. On this occasion, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the People’s Committee of Yen Bai province, relevant departments, and especially the provincial Women’s Union for facilitating this partnership and wholeheartedly cooperating with us to connect the support from Dutch donors with those in need.
MCNV Chief of Representative Office in Vietnam, Mr. Pham Dung, hands over post-disaster relief aid to 5 households affected by Typhoon Yagi at the People’s Committee of Viet Cuong commune, Tran Yen district.
Yen Bai province is one of the hardest hit by Yagi typhoon in September 2024. According to the Vietnam News, the whole province had over 22,000 damaged houses; nearly 18,700 flooded houses, of which nearly 4,000 houses in Tran Yen district. In the agricultural sector, the province over 4,000ha of crops were damaged and affected. Nearly 2,000 livestock and poultry died, over 100ha of fish ponds were washed away.
(Source: https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1662764/northern-province-yen-bai-held-urgent-meeting-at-night-on-overcoming-typhoon-yagi-s-consequences.html)
Damages caused by Yagi typhoon in Tran Yen district, Yen Bai province. Photo taken on October 9, 2024/MCNV.
MCNV & Yen Bai province:
For over a decade (2006-2016), MCNV supported Tran Yen district, Yen Bai province, through an HIV prevention program, including the establishment of the ‘Sunflower Network’- a system of clubs for women living with HIV, aimed at raising awareness, combating stigma, providing knowledge on infection prevention, and supporting livelihoods.
Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Drives Transformation in Thua Thien Hue (Story 2)
“My daughter, Phuong An, was three years old, but she couldn’t walk, talk, or feed herself. While other children in our neighborhood were doing these things, my heart ached. We took her to the doctor, but couldn’t afford the treatment. Every day, I felt helpless and cried,” said Ms. Hoang Anh, a mother from Nam Dong district in Thua Thien Hue province.
Ms.Nguyen Thi Ha (Occupational Therapist) helps An practice feeding.
An has congenital brain damage, which affects her right side and makes it difficult for her to use her hand. She needs help from her parents with everyday things like getting washed and eating. She also has flat feet, which causes her to stumble often. Like all kids of her age, An yearns for the joy of playing on a slide or seesaw, however, her physical challenge make these seemingly simple activities out of reach.
Besides, her speech impairment, another result of brain damage, necessitates hand gestures for communication. Living in a remote mountain village with limited resources, access to rehabilitation services is a significant obstacle.
A turning point came in October 2023 when An became a beneficiary of the Inclusion 1 Project, which provides her with access to home-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation services, including physical, occupational, and speech and language therapy, tailored to her individual needs.
To help the little girl with her mobility, Physical Therapist instructed An to practice exercises like standing on one leg, sitting down and standing up, stretching her ankles, and strengthening her muscles. In coordination with the Occupational Therapist, these exercises were integrated into daily activities, like reaching for toys placed at various heights.
To refine An’s hand dexterity, Occupational Therapist employed therapeutic activities such as playing with clay, stacking blocks, and manipulating small objects. These exercises helped An develop a stronger grasp, preparing her for everyday tasks such as self-feeding, dressing, and brushing her teeth.
“It’s a big advantage for An to have a twin sister who understands her so well. Her sister can help An understand what the rehabilitation staff is trying to teach her,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha (Occupational Therapist).
Practicing recognizing animals (Speech and Language therapy)
To help An with her delayed speech, a Speech and Language Therapist did exercises to improve her pronunciation, sang songs, learned to name animals and colors in pictures, and gradually progressed to identifying animals and colors in real life.
At the same time, An’s parents were guided on how to help their child with appropriate exercises at home as part of the intervention. Following the advice of therapists, they make this a daily habit, lasting at least 15 minutes.
After 8 weeks of intervention, Phuong An has made remarkable progress. She can stand up and sit down more easily and walk more steadily with fewer falls. The improved balance allowed her to confidently join her classmates in playground activities.
Furthermore, she can also grasp objects firmly with her right hand, eat independently, and dress herself with more ease. Her communication skills evolved from relying on gestures and nods to accurately pronouncing animal names, distinguishing colors, and expressing her needs through short phrases.
Notably, An’s parents have become aware of the importance of allowing their child to be as independent as possible. Instead of being overly protective, they now let An do things herself, with minimal assistance provided when necessary.
Mutltidisciplinary rehabilitation services has helped An get closer to her dream.
An’s progress is not only a joy for her family but also a motivation for the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.
“When I think back to the moments when An proudly showcased her drawings or the radiant joy in her parents’ eyes as they watched her independently feed herself or confidently walk into the classroom, my heart overflows with a sense of warmth and fulfillment” said Ms.Ha Nguyen, Occupational Therapist.
| Phuong An is one of 715 people with disabilities in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, and Quang Nam provinces who received multidisciplinary rehabilitation services during the period of August 2023 to June 2024, as part of the USAID-funded Inclusion 1 Project. 94% of the beneficiaries showed improvement in their daily living functions after receiving multidisciplinary rehabilitation services.
Inclusion 1 Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development, owned by the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), managed by the Center of Creative Initiatives in Health and Population. The Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) is one of the implementing partners. |
Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Drives Transformation in Thua Thien Hue (Story 1)
Le Quy Anh, 27 years old, is a resident of a rural village in Phu Loc district, Thua Thien Hue province. Once a bright and eager student, his world was turned upside down thirteen years ago, when a brain tumor left him paralyzed on one side.
His condition worsened significantly in late 2023. He lost complete use of his legs and arms, unable to perform simple tasks like bending, grasping, or holding objects. The constant, body-wide pain made even rolling over in bed a challenge. Beyond physical limitations, his cognitive abilities and communication skills also suffered. Simple conversations became arduous, as his speech was slow and unclear.
Completely reliant on his 54-year-old mother, the family’s sole provider, Quy Anh faced immense challenges. Their rural home, far from medical facilities, made accessing healthcare and rehabilitation services impossible. The constant pain, dependence, and isolation took a toll on his mental health.
Physical therapist is assisting Quy Anh with arm strengthening exercises.
Quy Anh’s life changed for the better in early 2024 when he received access to home-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation services through the “Improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange/Dioxin” project (Inclusion Project) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Inclusion 1 Project is owned by the National Action Center for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), managed by
the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP). MCNV is one of the project’s implementing partners, contributing to providing quality rehabilitation services to beneficiaries in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam.
Quy Anh is now able to walk on his own.
The support provided a variety of rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy, delivered by therapists during bi-weekly home visits. Physical therapy helped Quy Anh regain muscle strength through exercises and proper techniques of rolling over, sitting up from a side-lying position, transitioning from sitting to standing, and practicing balance for safe walking. Concurrently, occupational therapy helped him improve hand functions like grasping and holding objects. He also practiced daily activities like scooping food, holding a cup, and putting on a shirt.
To address his communication and language difficulties, he received guidance on breathing techniques, tongue placement, and correcting pronunciation errors. Capitalizing on his love of learning, Quy Anh was particularly receptive to language exercises like poetry reading, storytelling, and singing. These activities not only aligned with his interests but also brought him tremendous joy. To further enhance his communication and cognitive abilities, the therapist advised Quy Anh’s mother to engage him in more frequent conversations about daily life.
After over two months, thanks to the dedication of the multidisciplinary team and his own unwavering perseverance, Quy Anh underwent a remarkable transformation. His pain and muscle spasms significantly decreased. He regained the ability to bend and straighten his fingers, toes, knees, and elbows. From taking hesitant steps while holding onto a wall, Quy Anh progressed to walking independently around his home.
Quy Anh becomes more confident and cheerful.
He has transitioned from complete dependence on his mother to performing many daily activities like brushing his teeth, eating independently, and dressing himself. Once shy and hesitant, Quy Anh becomes more confident and cheerful. He can now speak fluently and clearly to express his needs or describe his day. He can even read long and difficult poems aloud.
If Quy Anh never dared to dream of leaving his bed before, now he dares to dream bigger.
‘I hope to have enough strength to help my mother with household chores, learn a vocation and earn an income to support her as she ages,’ Quy Anh expressed.
| Le Quy Anh is one of 715 people with disabilities in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, and Quang Nam provinces who received multidisciplinary rehabilitation services during the period of August 2023 to June 2024, as part of the USAID-funded Inclusion 1 Project. 94% of the beneficiaries showed improvement in their daily living functions after receiving multidisciplinary rehabilitation services.
Inclusion 1 Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development, owned by the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), managed by the Center of Creative Initiatives in Health and Population. The Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) is one of the implementing partners. |
Hundreds of farmers and cooperatives receive soil testing support and training on soil and crop nutrition
A series of technical training workshop were held as part of the Tropical Fruit Quality Improvement Project, aiming to enhance production capacity, fruit quality, and market competitiveness.
Delegates attended the training in Dong Thap province. Photo: Dong Thap News
The training program, focusing on soil nutrition, took place consecutively on August 9th, 12th, and 13th in Dong Thap, Binh Thuan, and Long An provinces, with the participation of delegates from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Farmers’ Associations at all levels, Agricultural Service Centers, and Agricultural Extension Centers and cooperatives.
The lecturers of the training program were leading experts in agriculture from the Netherlands and Vietnam, including: Mr. Peter Prins, Director of Eurofins Soil, Water and Agriculture Consulting (Netherlands); Dr. Lam Van Ha, Southern Center for Soil, Fertilizer and Environmental Research; and Dr. Nguyen Quang Chon, expert at Eurofins Chromatography Hai Dang Company.
Mr. Peter Prins, Technical Advisor of the project, speaking at the training session in Long An province. Photo: Long An News
The program disseminated useful information to agricultural officials and farmers about the effectiveness of soil testing as well as the importance of nutrition for crops, the proper use of fertilizers, guidance on how to take accurate soil samples, and introduced the latest technologies in soil analysis such as infrared technology.
As part of the program, delegates had the opportunity to visit demonstration models such as the application of new technology in dragon fruit production in Binh Thuan and Long An provinces, pomeloes in Ben Tre, and mangoes in Dong Thap.
The training program also provides a platform for agricultural officials and farmers to exchange production experiences and seek cooperation opportunities.
Overview of the event in Binh Thuan province. Photo: Binh Thuan News
At the end of the training, participating units developed specific action plans, including sampling, analysis, and application to production for about 300 cooperatives and production households in the project provinces. The results of the soil analysis will be used as a basis to propose solutions for smart farming methods, save costs, improve the quality of export fruits, and increase economic value. The project will fully support the cost of soil testing and consulting for about 300 households. This activity lays the foundation for the Vietnam Farmers’ Union and Eurofins to expand soil analysis services more widely to farmers in Vietnam.
A farmer representative raises a question to an expert. Photo: Long An News
In agricultural production, soil and crop nutrition are closely related. The results of soil analysis and testing are the basis for supplementing the necessary nutrients, reasonably for crops to grow well, reduce carbon emissions, save production costs, and improve the quality of export fruits, increasing economic value.
According to Mr. Peter Prins, Director of Soil, Water and Agriculture Consulting Company (Netherlands), for over 100 years, farmers’ organizations in the Netherlands have established many soil laboratories. Based on soil testing, Dutch farmers find ways to fertilize accurately (based on crop requirements) to avoid overusing fertilizers, helping to save production costs and reduce pollution.
Dr. Lam Van Ha, a researcher at the Southern Center for Soil, Fertilizer, and Environmental Studies, gave a presentation on optimizing fertilizer use. Photo by Tran Le Hieu for MCNV.
The Tropical Fruit Quality Improvement Project is financially sponsored by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, implemented in 04 provinces of Binh Thuan, Long An, Ben Tre and Dong Thap. The Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) plays an important role in coordinating and facilitating the flow of advanced technology and information from leading EU technical partners to Vietnam, that benefits Vietnamese farmers and fruit exporters./.
Field visit to Nong and Sepone in Laos: What wonderful developments!
Positive developments in Nong and Sepone
Last May, I traveled to Laos together with Marloes Zwagerman from the AFAS-Foundation to visit the municipality of Nong and Sepone with my Laotian colleagues – Joy, Fine, Sivone and Done. We particularly visited the villages where MCNV and the AFAS Foundation support the Mother & Child program. A special visit because a private foundation such as the AFAS-Foundation has never visited the program before. The responsibility for clean water, latrines, medical care and attention to nutrition is taken seriously not only by the local partners we work with, but especially by the villagers themselves. They have gained the experience that they can contribute to these positive developments themselves and that is the most important condition for success.
Nong will continue on his own from 2025
In 2006 – at the request of the border province of Savannakhet (in Laos) – we started providing assistance to the municipality of Nong. The activities at that time were mainly aimed at improving food security. Gradually it became apparent that more was needed and so we started looking for new financing. In 2016, we submitted an initial application to the AFAS-Foundation to realise multi- year plans for food security, better child health and structural changes for the families in Nong. The application was honored and the program was successfully implemented. A second application followed in 2021 and we are now in the final year of our second partnership. Bringing about changes requires a lot of patience and a lot of money, this is a good example of that. At the end of 2024, we will transfer responsibilities to our local Laotian partners in the municipality and the province. We have thus achieved our goal in Nong and we are convinced that the program with all its activities is strongly rooted and will continue to develop.
Sepone would like our support and cooperation for the coming years
In the Municipality of Sepone, we started the Mother & Child program in ten villages almost three years ago, a similar program to that in Nong. Developments are moving rapidly and major steps have been taken. The villages we visited looked clean, equipped with latrines, running water, and vegetable gardens. Clean water in particular is such an important basis for health and hygiene and makes growing more food close to home possible. We received a great contribution from our MCNV-donors for this purpose in December last year and this money was well spent!
Our question to you
The head of the villages, village health workers and other key figures explained in detail what has been done, how people experience it, how important knowledge and skills are, that there is more shared responsibility and of course they also indicated what else is needed.
We therefore want to continue with the activities in Sepone in the near future. We are currently working on a new application for financial support from the AFAS-Foundation. Your contributions are also indispensable.
That is why we ask in this newsletter to make an extra donation to continue these activities in the field of water and sanitation, care for mother & child and food security.
Many thanks in advance for the extra gift,
Karin Vlug, also on behalf of Joy, Fine, Sivone &Done
Independent future
The experience that MCNV has built up with successful projects means that the government in Laos is gradually showing the willingness to continue and co-finance these activities. It is one of the objectives and principles of MCNV that government involvement in more remote areas increases and that the government increasingly recognizes the importance of a healthy population, even where people are difficult to reach for existing national programs. such as vaccinations. With our interventions, MCNV wants to bring about change in the health system.
By investing now in training and resources, developments can be sustainably integrated into the existing (health) system, ultimately financed by the local and national Lao governments.
