March 21, 2024 – Following the success of the first cohort of Master of Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), the second cohort of the Master of Speech and Language Therapy (HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacy) program was concluded successfully.
The second cohort of Master’s program in SALT commenced in February, 2022, opening a new journey for 12 students who were working professionals at rehabilitation departments of various hospitals and training institutions in the South and Central Vietnam.
In addition to the team of lecturers and specialized advisors from leading universities and medical units in Vietnam, the second MSALT cohort also largely benefited from the support of the first cohort MSALT, who served as teaching assistants.
Vice Head of HCMC UMP Faculty of the Nursing and Medical Technology, Dr.Tran Thuy Khanh Linh, MCNV Country Director, MD, MPH. Pham Dung, and Ms.Nguyen Thanh Thuy – SALT Project Coordinator and the second MSALT cohort.
Reflecting on the memorable journey, on behalf of the second cohort of MSALT, Ms.Minh Chau (Rehabilitation Department, An Binh Hospital), in her graduation speech, expressed heartfelt thanks to MCNV, HCMC UMP and all the lecturers and mentors:
“We have been through countless challenges during our study days: stressful exam hours, difficulties in collecting and processing research data. Nonetheless, with relentless effort and the best support from MCNV and the Board of Rectors of HCM UMP, the instructors from the Rehabilitation Department and our mentors, we have overcome all and have completed the program with better results than expected.”
On this occasion, a cordial congratulations gathering was held by MCNV to celebrate the graduation of the 12 new MSALTs.
The first cohort of SALT Master program was conducted as part of the project “Development of Speech and Language Therapy Education in Vietnam” by MCNV, under the “Disabilities Integration of Services and Therapies Network for Capacity and Treatment” (DISTINCT) project by VietHealth funded by USAID Vietnam. Trinh Foundation Australia (TFA) participates in this project as a technical consulting partner to MCNV.
Following that success, MCNV continued the effort to mobilize funding and cooperating with TFA to maintain the support for HCMC UMP in admitting students and organizing the second cohort (2021-2023).
In the time to come, MCNV will discuss further with our partners on planning for upcoming Speech Therapy master’s courses.
On this occasion, MCNV would like to thank TFA Board members and all of the dedicated international and Vietnamese lecturers and mentors from overseas and Vietnam, who have been contributed tremendously to the success of the second cohort. This new achievement has filled us with tremendous confidence in our continual fruitful cooperation, to further contribute to the development of SALT in particular and rehabilitation services in Vietnam in general./.
Ambassador Kees van Baar and MCNV Chief of Representative Office, MD.MPH.Pham Dung at MCNV’s museum (Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province).
(March 7th, 2024) – MCNV is honored to welcome the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Vietnam, HE Kees van Baar in his visit to MCNV’s project sites in Huong Phung commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province.
Visit to a community-manage natural forest in Chenh Venh village, Quang Tri province.
During the trip, the Ambassador visited the agroforestry coffee model (Xa Ry village) and the management and protection of community natural forests (Chenh Venh village).
The Ambassador highly appreciated MCNV’s initiatives in supporting ethnic minority communities in the locality in implementing sustainable forest management along with livelihood development, promote non-timber forest product value chains, improve forest ecosystem services, agroforestry coffee plantation, etc.
Ambassador Kees van Baar visits agroforestry coffee model in Xa Ry village (Quang Tri province)
The Ambassador also visited MCNV’s Office and Memorial House in Dong Ha City to gain insights into the long-standing ties between MCNV and Quang Tri province.
As part of the visit, Ambassador Kees van Baar had met with leaders of the provincial People’s Committee and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
At the meeting with the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Mr. Vo Van Hung, Ambassador Kees van Baar expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by the people in the project site supported by MCNV in overcoming difficulties to strive toward a better life.
The Ambassador expressed his hope that the Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee will continue to create favorable conditions for MCNV to effectively implement project activities in the province.
Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee, Mr.Vo Van Hung (right) receives Ambassador Kees van Baar.
Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Hung, for his part, spoke highly of the valuable cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands in general, between Quang Tri and the Netherlands in particular. He hailed the contribution of various Dutch NGOs, including MCNV for Quang Tri that has brought about significant transformation to the province in multiple aspects, ranging from healthcare, social integration, to community livelihood development, sustainable forest management, response to climate change, etc.
Mr.Vo Van Hung expressed his expectation that the Dutch government will strengthen the support for the province in establishing and increasing the connections with Dutch enterprises and investors to explore more cooperation opportunities between Quang Tri and the Netherlands, as well as support MCNV in fundraising to gather better resources to implement projects more effectively./.
In this newsletter we ask your attention to the people living in eight remote villages, high in the mountains in Sepone district. The villages are involved in our Mother & Child-program and with the support of the AFAS Foundation and our MCNV-donors we have been able to achieve a lot over the past two years.
Continue Mother & Child program in 2024
The program will also be continued in 2024 and that is of course very nice. But during the past period, a situation has arisen that we previously had insufficient insight into: the shortage of clean drinking water in both municipalities. Especially the eight higher villages in Sepone
have no wells, no water pumps or they are broken. The women and children have to walk for many hours to get water from the river. But that water is unsuitable for drinking water. From April to November is the dry season and there is very little water in the river.
The little water in the river is not drinkable, it causes diarrhea and other infections, especially for young children, but it is the only water that is available.
Clean water needed for 1766 people
The situation is really severe and that is why we want to provide this emergency aid in the coming months. It would be great if we could dig wells in the eight high-altitude villages, repair water pumps and install a water system so that clean water is available to all people who depend on (dirty) water from the river for months during the dry season
Clean water is a basic requirement for good nutrition and good health. We hope for a total amount of 32,000 euros that is needed for 1766 people living in the eight villages.
We need a significant amount of money, but it is so important to tackle this thoroughly and ensure that our Mother & Child-program is optimally successful!
You can read the whole story on pages 2 and 3.
Thank you very much for your (extra) contribution!
For the first time ever, the Asia Pacific Society of Speech, Language, and Hearing (APSSLH) Bi-annual Conference will be in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from December 14 to 16th, 2023. MCNV is honored to be one of the event sponsors.
The event will be held by APSSLH in partnership with HCMC University/MCNV and Hue University/KOICA.
The theme of the 2023 APSSLH Conference is “Connect: Build a Stronger Network Among Us”.
The APSSLH is a professional organization that is dedicated to supporting researchers, practitioners, and students in Communication Sciences and Disorders and other related fields in the Asia Pacific region.
As the first APSSLH conference to be held in the Southeast Asia region as well as in Vietnam, the Conference aims to build a more robust network to empower Speech and Language Therapists to fulfill their job successfully and support individuals who need speech, language, and hearing services in the Asia Pacific region.
In the context of the “Boosting income and jobs for poor ethnic women in Dong Xuan district” (BIJPO) project, MCNV, in collaboration with partners in Dong Xuan District of Phu Yen Province, successfully orchestrated a productive meeting on September 27th, 2023, between Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho and representatives from local authorities and communities in the communes of Da Loc and Xuan Lanh.
Investigating Suoi Mo in Da Loc commune
Zannier Hotels, with its headquarters in France, boasts a global presence, including operations in Vietnam. Notably, Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho, located in Song Cau District of Phu Yen, was recently honored as the recipient of two prestigious awards: “Best Luxury Hotel in Vietnam 2023” and “Best Boutique Hotel in Vietnam 2023” at the World Business Outlook.
Aligned with MCNV’s mission and core values of nurturing and supporting local initiatives, fostering income generation, and promoting indigenous cultures, high-level representatives from Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho embarked on an exploration of the Suoi Mo and Vuc Hom areas. During their visit, they also worked with a Bahna’s brocade weaving group.
Working with brocade weaving group in Xuan Lanh commune
The delegation was profoundly impressed by the potential for the development of forest-based and community-managed tourism, forging connections with other tourist destinations, promoting the consumption of brocade products, and offering services encompassing traditional weaving demonstrations and captivating performances featuring traditional dancing accompanied by drums and gongs. In the medium term, Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho committed to placing orders for brocade products, earmarked for the upcoming Christmas season.
Wrap-up meeting among relevant parties
MCNV will continue to play a pivotal role in this endeavor by consolidating insights and crafting a preliminary memorandum of understanding that will bind Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho, local authorities, and the communities together in this journey of mutual and sustainable development.
BIJPO project is co-funded by GSRD, Dong Xuan district and MCNV from April 2022 to April 2025.
Story and photos by Ms.Huyen Hoang, MCNV Board of Director, captured from a field mission in Sepone district, Lao PDR in early September 2023.
Ms. Chung is a 32-year-old woman living in Stuak Nai village, Sepone district, Laos PDR. She has 5 children (4 girls and one boy) and is at her 5th month pregnancy with her 6th baby.
I came to visit her on 4th September 2023 while she was being checked up by one village health worker.
After briefing Ms.Chung about the visit, the village health worker proceeded with weighing the mother and recording the information.
She later asked Ms.Chung to lay down for the fetal position check and fundal (belly) height measurement using her hands. A small doppler was used to detect the baby’s heart rate.
Ms. Chung later shared with me that she was very happy to hear her child’s heartbeat.
After the check-up, the village health worker showed Ms.Chung a set of picture cards to discuss on maternal health. The cards are made double sides, one side featuring picture that the mother can see and know what it is. The other side was a key message of a topic that the village health worker wants to deliver.
The set of cards that were being used to communicate with Ms. Chung is for women at 4-6 months pregnancy. They contained the information on what the women should do and should avoid, also including what support the husband and other family members can provide to her.
Looking at a card with a picture of a husband carrying heavy stuff for the wife when she is pregnant, Ms. Chung laughed while shaking her head to signal the opposite. What she meant was: women in the area often do this kind of work (carrying heavy things) and there is no different even if they are pregnant.
The picture cards made the discussion become more cheerful and interactive.
In the conversation, I asked Ms. Chung about what she did with her previous pregnancies. She said that for each pregnancy, she would go for one time check-up at the health centre (about 14 km away) when she was about 6–7-month pregnant. In her case, her husband accompanied her to the health centre. All of her 5 children were delivered at home and with the support from her husband, who held her from the back. All other things, including cutting of the umbilical cord was done by the woman herself. With this 6th pregnancy, the village health worker came to her house to do the check-up. This village-based service is available thanks to the project ‘Together in action for mother and child health‘ funded by AFAS Foundation and implemented by MCNV in coordination with Sepon district health authority./.
Forests are an essential part of people’s lives in Chenh Venh village and Ho village, located near the rainforest-covered Viet Nam–Laos border in Quang Tri Province, central Viet Nam. Their inhabitants belong to an ethnic minority group called Van Kieu, and they have been living in and around these forests for decades. The residents of Chenh Venh village belong to the Huong Phung commune, while those in Ho village are a part of the Huong Son commune.
In November 2021, 1,561 hectares of these forests received FSC® certification, becoming Viet Nam’s first smallholder group to become FSC certified for community natural forests. In addition, three species of bamboo are certified for sustainable harvesting and product manufacturing. Harvesting any other species of timber from these forests is strictly forbidden.
Both villages belong to a group dedicated to sustainable forest management: the Association of Smallholder Forest Certification Groups of Quang Tri Province (SFCG Association). Most households are members of the village-level forest protection committees, thereby giving every member of the village a sense of belonging and involvement in matters related to the forests.
Ensuring the well-being of the forests was an integral part of their lives long before they even heard about FSC; the communities protect the forests and all life living in it from poachers, illegal loggers, and anyone who threatens the peaceful balance of nature. Why do the inhabitants of Chenh Venh and Ho villages invest time and effort in protecting and caring for the forests?
The value of forests
The culture and traditions of the Van Kieu people hold forests in high regard; they believe that once a person dies, their final resting place is in the forest. They have demarcated specific areas in the forests where they put their dead to rest. These areas are highly sacred, and no one is allowed to enter and disturb this resting place. Another cultural practice involving the forests is seen during the autumn festival. The people make offerings of food and incense to the deities residing in the forests, and ask for their blessings and protection from natural calamities.
These forests act as a watershed area for this region and sustain the stream that runs through the forest. For the inhabitants of Chenh Venh village, this source of water is very important. Paddy cultivation is their primary source of income and the water required for their crops flows through the forest. The forests also ensure that the region receives high volumes of rain to keep the river from drying up.
The communities share a symbiotic relationship with the forests – while they protect and care for the flora and fauna, the forests provide them with a rich variety of non-timber forest products. Sustainably harvested bamboo is slowly becoming a lucrative source of income in Chenh Venh. The communities have set up entire processing units to produce eco-friendly and biodegradable drinking straws made from a species of bamboo called Le Xanh. The stem of this type of bamboo is hollow and narrow. The stems are cut, boiled, dried, and then shaped into straws. Most bamboo products such as these drinking straws along with glasses, bowls, and small boxes are channelled through a cooperative called Nhien Thao, a Vietnamese handicraft organization that sells these items through stores such as Hoi An Roastery, its own store in Dong Ha, and online.
The region has been growing tung trees, and the oil extracted from their seeds is popular for using as a wood varnish that protects wood from insect infestation, and strengthens it. The villagers collect tung seeds and sell them to a company in Ho Chi Minh City that processes them into varnish. They also collect lime, lemongrass, and other leaves and seeds that are used in unexpected ways. For instance, the black locust seeds are used as a natural shampoo, and betel leaf extract is used for treating tooth and skin problems. Soap nuts, which are also collected from these forests, are a naturally occurring soap for bathing and hand washing. The forests are also a rich source of spices such as cinnamon, and various herbal and medicinal plants.
“We have discovered valuable resources that are abundantly available in the forests. We get food, medicines, and materials for making our houses. We don’t need to go to a pharmacy for stomach aches and soap – we get natural products directly from the forests,” said Ho Thi Xang, giggling, a young mother of two children and member of a patrol team.
Partnering to protect natural forests
Throughout our visit, we saw time and time again that protecting the forests is taken very seriously by the Van Kieu people. Both villages have established their own well-planned schedules for patrol teams, which visit the forests three to four times a month to check on the well-being of the forests. These teams usually comprise five members, all of whom voluntarily sign up for this job even though it does not bring any immediate income. Both men and women sign up for the patrol teams.
“Forest patrols don’t seem like work to us. We feel very connected to these forests,” said Ho Xa Lang during an informal chat over tea. He is a member of a patrol team from Ho village.
Medical Committee Netherlands – Viet Nam (MCNV), an NGO working in these regions for many years, helped the villagers undergo the process of becoming certified. It started with obtaining membership of SFCG and progressed to understanding the value and benefits of FSC certification. MCNV has been working with Chenh Venh and Ho villagers to develop better and more sustainable forest management practices. These include an innovative mobile application for forest management that enables the patrol teams to upload important data about flora and fauna, in real time.
Since receiving FSC certification, the patrols have been intensified to meet the certification requirements. They have also improved data collection methods, so that audit requirements are met. The mobile application for forest management is helping them in many ways to better protect the forests. In addition, MCNV has been instrumental in providing capacity-building training to the villagers, exposing the villagers to global best practices in sustainable harvesting and forest management. Using this information, the villagers are adapting their management and harvesting practices to improve the health of their forests. MCNV has also helped the villagers to identify the economic benefits of non-timber forest products that have been procured and used for generations. With the help of internationally funded projects, MCNV is creating market links for these products.
It’s evident that the local communities cared deeply about taking care of their forests long before becoming certified. But with certification, they can access new resources to improve the practices they have already employed for generations.
“Forests give us food, medicines, and material for building our houses. They also protect the stream that provides us with water for our paddy fields and for the people in the villages. They maintain the balance in the weather and protect against landslides. And now, with FSC certification, we can make bamboo products using sustainably harvested bamboo; there is a lot of demand for such products,” said Ho Van Chien, the head of the Chenh Venh Commune Forest Protection Committee.
Future aspirations
The inhabitants of Chenh Venh and Ho villages, with the help of MCNV and funding from the European Union, are beginning to realize the tremendous value in the work they are doing and the resources they are protecting. The forests hold great significance not only for them, but for the entire world.
They are now seeking to obtain Chain of Custody Certification from FSC for all the non-timber-based products that they are learning to make – bamboo straws and other products such as penholders and glasses. FSC certification will enable them to access better markets and prices for their products. They are also hoping to achieve FSC’s ecosystem services certification, which will enable them to benefit from carbon capture and biodiversity.
The certification of these forests has thrown a spotlight on the forest management practices of the Huong Phung and Huong Son communes. Several communities from other parts of Vietnam and the region are interested in learning from them. This will potentially lead to more forest areas becoming FSC certified, thereby ensuring their sustainable management.
These forests are a great example of the power of local communities joining forces with FSC to ensure their beloved forests remain healthy and resilient, for generations to come./.
Your ticket for the: Living in the embrace of forests
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Living in the embrace of forests
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