News

Organisations lend hand for sustainable forestry in Vietnam

Article on the Vietnam Investment Review. Author: Nguyen Dinh Dai, MCNV Chief of Central Vietnam Office

The government has recently approved a project worth $3.55 billion to develop the forestry sector in a sustainable manner in the 2021-2025 period. This legal framework aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the implementation of Vietnam’s net-zero commitments.
To achieve the targets, the forestry sector and local government require strategic implementation and good practices in the field. This will be carried out through partnerships with donors such as the EU, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), WWF Vietnam, and MCNV.

*Nguyen Dinh Dai – Central Vietnam chief MCNV Office*

The province of Quang Tri has created strategic results in sustainable forestry development thanks to the support from international organisations, and there are already many interesting stories regarding this.

One regards promoting market links on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) between smallholders and enterprises. Nhien Thao is a local enterprise in Quang Tri province that produces natural-based products such as shampoo, floor cleaning liquids, and dishwashing liquid. NTFPs including soap, black locust seeds, and essential oils are key raw materials for the production of the enterprise.

Currently, Nhien Thao is collaborating with about 150 smallholder forest owners in supplying NTFPs with a value of about $75,000 annually. These smallholders are managing hundreds of hectares of natural forest where they can harvest different kinds of NTFP such as soap nuts, black locust seeds, pomelo, and limes. The enterprise is planning to expand its business and network with smallholders.

In April 2022, the enterprise was awarded the prize of best natural business solutions by the New Generation Plantation and WWF Vietnam. This is a win-win business model for the smallholders and enterprises in contributing to sustainable forest management.

Another example is the long-rotation plantation for tung oil production. It is estimated about 1,500 tonnes of dry tung oil seeds are harvested annually with a value of $650,000 in Quang Tri province. Since 2020, the PROSPER project (on promoting sustainable partnerships between civil organisations and enterprises for sustainable forest management in the context of climate change), co-funded by the EU and MCNV, has supported smallholders in planting about 300ha of tung oil plantation mixed with indigenous species in Quang Tri province.

Tung oil plantation has contributed to forest protection and annual income for smallholder forest owners from harvesting tung oil seed.

With the support of the USAID, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is planning a 5-year strategy for tung oil plantations. This model will contribute directly to annual income for smallholders, increasing forestry cover ratio and carbon capture from the long-rotation of tung oil plantations.

Within the PROSPER project, for the first time in Vietnam, two natural forests of smallholders in Huong Hoa district have earned FSC certification on sustainable forest management, in which three bamboo species are certified FSC. In 2022, the project targets to achieve certification for carbon capture, bio-diversity, and rattan.

By December 2020, about 20,000ha of natural forest had been allocated to smallholders in Quang Tri province, in which around one-third received the Payment of Forest Environment Service for forest protection. The rest of the forests are protected voluntarily by smallholder forest owners. The piloted model on FSC-certified ecosystem services offers potential for smallholder forest owners in accessing payment mechanisms for forest ecosystem services and the high-value market of NTFPs of FSC-certified rattan and bamboo.

This association of smallholder forest certification was established in 2014, supported by WWF Vietnam. The association is a representative for smallholder forest owners in FSC certification for acacia plantations and has been a link between IKEA suppliers and smallholder forest owners in supplying FSC-certified wood.

In 2020, under the support of PROSPER, for the first time, the association recruited new natural forest owners as members. This achievement brought a new direction in promoting sustainable forest management of smallholders in both plantations but also the natural forest.

Quang Tri province is considered one of the pioneers in sustainable forestry development strategies. The concrete practices in the field are significant to show scaling up in the aspect of implementing the programme on sustainable forestry development until 2025./.

Source: https://vir.com.vn/organisations-lend-hand-for-sustainable-forestry-in-vietnam-95585.html?fbclid=IwAR00os4tgFue4aBlLtiOmVln0BV8nHRFJBNlgkkiB9Mp3j7HFpK0Rfk_t9I

“Quang Tri, Aspiration of Peace” event

MCNV’s long-standing ties with Quang Tri province were highlighted in the event “Quang Tri, Aspiration of Peace” co-organized by the Vietnam Film Institute, Quang Tri provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs and several organizations including MCNV.

The exhibition was attended by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung; Secretary of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee Le Quang Tung and a number of former ambassadors, representatives of the Vietnam Film Institute as well as veterans, war correspondents, cinematographers, historical researchers, and film researchers.

About 200 photographs, panels, and artifacts were featured in the exhibition, reflecting the resilience of local people and international solidarity to Quang Tri during the war as well as the humanitarian assistance from the international community to address the war legacy issues and as the development of Quang Tri nowsaday.

The photos, posters and artifacts are categorized into four themes “Quang Tri recollections”, “International Solidarity for Quang Tri”, “Overcoming the challenge of postwar unexploded ordnances in Quang Tri” and “Quang Tri – A Safe and Friendly Destination.”

Various precious photos capturing MCNV’s assistance for Quang Tri, including the donation of medical supplies from the Netherlands to Vietnam during the war, the building of Dong Ha hospital, capacity building for health workers during the postwar period, were displayed under the theme “International Solidarity for Quang Tri”.

According to MCNV Country Director, Mr.Pham Dung, nowadays, MCNV is honored to be able to link up the support of international friends, including the Dutch, the European and American people with the Vietnamese people in the new context of development and affirmed the commitment of MCNV to the cause of sustainable of Vietnam and Quang Tri in particular in the time to come./.

Annual Report and Account 2021

For a download of our report please click here.

Annual-report-2021-MCNV_narrative-and-account-final_20220629_incl.-Auditors-report_was-signed

Healthy food, strong women and equal opportunities

New plans to strengthen our nutrition program

In Nong and Sepone, two municipalities in the province of Savannakhet, Laos, a lot of work has been done in recent years to improve the food situation and food security. With the support of partners and donors, vegetable gardens, chickens and fish ponds, school canteens were created, and information about healthy nutrition for pregnant women and mothers was shared.

These structural changes have a positive influence on the position of girls and young women. According to the traditional division of roles, the daughters look after the younger children and the women work on the land. Men make almost all decisions, including about food. As a woman, giving your opinion or learning something for your future is often not accepted. As a result, the position of women in this poor, remote area remains vulnerable and they remain dependent on their husbands.

600 women and girls

MCNV has made a plan to give extra support to 600 women and girls from ten villages in Sepone in the field of organization and entrepreneurship. The women learn which crops are suitable, when to plant and harvest and to sell them at the market. They are allowed to participate in decisions about financial matters such as the purchase of manure, seeds and fish feed. It gives the women self-confidence and a place in the community. The men are involved in the program to experience that the family and specifically nutrition is a joint responsibility.

Many girls from the villages in Sepone now do not go to school because they have to take care of their younger brothers and sisters. As a result, they miss the opportunity to learn to read, write and count. We hope with this program to change the situation, so that girls can go to school to learn and develop.

The program will contribute to good nutrition for pregnant women and their children, but aims especially to strengthen young girls and women, who can look forward to a healthy and equal future through education and more knowledge. We want to go there together with you!

Thank you very much for your (extra) contribution!

Sincerely, Sivone Mouanaotou

MCNV Program Manager in Laos

Magazine 2022-2

For a download of our magazine in Dutch click here.

Magazine_2022-02

WWF’s trip to PROSPER project site

On a native forest nursery of Son Nguyen Cooperative

On the 18th on June 2022, a delegation from WWF-UK and WWF-Vietnam paid an exposure visit to the sites of the “Promoting Sustainable Partnership between CSOs and Enterprises for Sustainable Forest Management in the Context of Climate Change” (PROSPER) project co-funded by the EU and MCNV in Huong Hoa district of Quang Tri province.

**Visiting a material area of black locust with a patrolling group of Trang-Ta Puong village**

The visiting program was to reinforce the implementation of the Cooperation Framework Agreement dated the 15th of December 2021 between MCNV and WWF for PROSPER and Projects/Programs under Forest Practice of WWF-Viet Nam in Central Annamites Landscape (CAL).

**Stopping over a Tung tree plantation mixed with native species**

By synergizing bilateral resources to make greater contributions to sustainable forest management, the Agreement focuses on the following areas: (i) Improving and maintaining the FSC® forest certification system of Association of Quang Tri’s Smallholder Forest Certification Groups (SFCGs); (ii) Promoting market linkages between smallholders and processing companies in relevant supply chains such as FSC certified bamboo and rattan, and other NTFPs; (iii) Supporting in potential business models for developing the bankable projects on bamboo, medica herbs and so, to access to the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) and Landscape Resilience Fund (LRF); and (iv) Developing project proposals on forest restoration by planting native species and non-timber trees for climate resilience while enhancing the livelihood of local people, etc./.

Exposure visit to PROSPER project sites for designing Education Tour on Nature and Environment

Delegates talking with an ethnic coffee producer on his agro-forestry farm

On the 14th of June 2022, a joint delegation of Gesellschaft für Agrarprojekte (GFA) Consulting Group, Deutsche Forstservice GmbH (DFS) and Forest Science Center for North of Central Vietnam (FSCV) paid an exposure visit to the PROSPER project sites co-funded by the EU and MCNV in Huong Hoa district of Quang Tri province, Vietnam.

***Visiting a Melaleuca Quinquenervia (Paperbark tree) plantation in Huong Phung commune***

The delegates visited agro-forestry coffee models, investigated material areas of non-timber forest products, and joined in an experience tour to tourist destinations in Chenh Venh village of Huong Phung commune, which has been recently known as Vietnam’s first-ever FSC^® certified natural forest managed by the community.

**Landscape exploration at Sa Muoi Hill within the FSC^® certified natural forest**

The purpose of the visit is to assess the possibility of designing and implementing a tourist service on nature and environmental education attached with sustainable forest management in the area. The trip was expected to usher in new opportunities for exploiting the strengths and potentialities of the local, particularly community-managed eco-tourism./.

MCNV looking for 02 two-month full time interpreters and translators to work in HCMC and Hai Duong

Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) is looking for 02 two-month full time interpretation and translation consultants to provide interpretation and translation for bachelor of speech and language therapy students and their clinical supervisors during their clinical placements in Hai Duong, Ho Chi Minh city from in June, July and August 2022.

Detailed information is as below:

JOB DESCRIPTION OF 02 ONE-MONTH FULL TIME INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION CONSULTANTS FOR CLINICAL INTERNSHIPS OF THE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY MASTER GRADUATES IN HCMC AND HAI DUONG

A COMPONENT OF THE SALT EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROJECT BY MCNV IN VIETNAM

Budget line: Sub-Act. Sub-Act.BS4- an additional activity: post-graduate supervised clinical internship for MSALT graduates

Job Summary and Job Title
Consultants will work as full time interpreters and translators in two months of time to provide English – Vietnamese interpretation and translation for the Master graduates of Rehabilitation Techniques with Specialization in Speech and Language Therapy (MSALT Graduates) when they do their clinical internships onsite at clinical hospitals. This is a learning activity within the MSALT course by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh (UMP HCMC) city in collaboration with MCNV under the DISTINCT project by VietHealth/USAID and with technical consultancy and technical human resource from Trinh Foundation Australia (TFA).

The Consultants will work directly with a Project team including: 1) MCNV’s Project Coordinator; 2) the Head of Rehabilitation Department at either UMP HCMC or Hai Duong Medical Technical University (HD MTU).

Duration of time and Workplace
The Consultants will work maximum 8 hours per day for 40 days directly in health settings, from July 4th to the end of September 1st, 2022. One consultant will work in HCMC and one will work in Hai Duong. Detailed work plans for each of the two positions will be provided.

Payment Range
Payment is mutually agreed and shown in a Consultancy Contract between MCNV and each Consultant.

Specific tasks and responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Project team, especially MCNV’s Project Coordinator, the Consultants will work closely with international clinical supervisors and be responsible for doing (but not limited to) the main tasks as follow:

Interpret English – Vietnamese – English for all communications between all involved parties including Vietnamese MSALT graduates, Vietnamese patients, etc. and their international clinical supervisors when the MSALT graduates work face-to-face onsite with the patients at hospitals for their clinical internships and under direct clinical supervision by their international clinical supervisors, following schedules agreed by the involved parties;
Interpret English – Vietnamese – English for all offline and online discussions/meetings/working sessions between the MSALT graduates who do their clincal internships with their international clinical supervisors when needed;
Translate teaching and learning documents when necessary and/or students’ written examinations and assignments from English to Vietnamese and vice versus.
General Requirements
The following requirements must be met for this position

a. Knowledge and skills

A minimum 02 years of proven track record in providing translation and interpretation in medical and health settings and in speech and language therapy;
Have knowledge and understanding of speech and language therapy and education;
Have knowledge about university education;
Have knowledge and skills in interpretation in clinical placement in health settings.
b. Education

Essential: Bachelor degree in English language;

Trained in interpretation and translation in medicine and speech and language therapy;

Essential: training in interpretation and translation in medicine and/or SALT.

c. Experience

Essential:

Have experience in interpretation in clinical placements in health settings;
Have experience in online meeting interpretation;
Have experience in interpretation for clinical practice supervisions;
Have experience in working in teams and individually;
Desirable:

Experience in working in universities and health settings in Vietnam;
Have experience in working with SALT international teachers/volunteers;
d. Working skills and attitude

Be available and willing to work at night time and weekend time as per the requirements of the training course’s schedule;
Have good communication and interpersonal skills;
Have ability to work both autonomously and as part of a culturally diverse and multidisciplinary team;
Be open minded for discussion and sharing;
Be flexible and resourceful;
Be motivated to work towards the objectives of the project;
Be able to work independently and in a constructive way in a team;
Be organized, able to work according to deadlines;
Have good organizational and time management skills;
Have good computer literacy and proficiency with Microsoft Office, Skype, Zoom, and various platforms such as Google docs…;
Be willing to travel to other towns/provinces according to the needs of the work.
e. Languages: Excellent spoken and written English.

How to apply

Interested candidates are advised to send their Letter of Interest, CVs and payment proposals to thuy.nguyenthanh@mcnv.vn before 5.00pm VN time on 05/6/2022. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

Continuing Medical Education on the provision of home-based rehabilitation services

PhD.MD.To Muoi, Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital speaks at the opening ceremony.

In 3 days, May 20-22, 2022, in Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, MCNV and Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP) jointly organized a continued medical education (CME) course on the provision of home-based rehabilitation (rehab) services for 20 trainees who are doctors, nurses, rehab technicians of the Department of Rehab, Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital.

In the 3-day training course, necessary knowledge and skills of the trainees’ were enhanced to provide comprehensive home-based rehab services following multi-disciplinary approach with the four-step process: assessing and identifying intervention objectives, making intervention plans, conducting interventions and evaluating post-intervention results.

***MSc.MD. Ha Chan Nhan, Head of the Department of Rehabilitation, Hue UMP introduces the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)***

The training course was structured with diverse and highly practical contents, including: guidelines on organizing and implementing home-based rehab services, theory lessons combining with group discussions and clinical practice activities on multi-disciplinary rehab, tools of functional performance assessment.

Particularly, the trainees had chances to practice steps in providing home-based rehab services for 2 patients in Ai Nghia town, Dai Loc district. These activities are all conducted through the collaboration of multi-disciplinary team, consisting of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists.

***Practicing assessment in multi-disciplinary team on a patient.***

After 2 training days of theory and clinical practice at the hospital, participants were divided into four groups and practiced 2 out of 4 steps in providing home-based rehab services which are: assessment, setting intervention objectives and making intervention plans for two cases: a female patient with marrow paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and a male patient with paralysis caused by stroke sequela.

**Trainees practice home-based rehabilitation assessment.**

In giving closing speech for the training course, MSc.MD. Pham Dung, Country Director of MCNV Vietnam commented: Overall, the trainees are now able to distinguish the differences in the provision of home-based rehab services and hospital-based rehab services, and perform the four-step process in a logical sequence, in alignment with multi-disciplinary rehab approach and in the meantime, their understandings of rehab has become more holistic.

***MSc.MD. Pham Dung gives the closing speech.***

MSc.MD. Pham Dung also emphasized the principle of “PwDs-centered view” and reminded the trainees about the importance of interacting and collaborating with PwDs’ families to provide smooth and effective home-based rehab services.

The 3-day training course is a preparatory activity prior to the implementation of home-based rehab services delivery model under the Inclusion 1 Project, funded by US Agency for International Development (USAID) with the overall objective of improving PwDs’ quality of life. The project managing agency is the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) under the Chemical Command, the Ministry of Defense; a project’s management awardee is the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP). All 20 trainees will receive CME certificates granted by Hue UMP.

After the course, the trainees will conduct screening examination for 300 PwDs in commune of Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, of which 200 PwDs with mobility disabilities will be provided with home-based rehab services by multi-disciplinary teams of Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital./.

Inclusion 3 project kicked off in Tay Ninh province

In late May 2022, the National Action Center for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), under the Ministry of National Defence, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Health of Tay Ninh province jointly held a conference to launch the component in Tay Ninh province of the Inclusion 3 project.

***Ms.Tran Thi Lan, Deputy Head of the Department of Labours, the Invalids and Social Affairs, speaks at the conference.***

The conference was attended by representatives of the management awardee – the Centre for Social Initiatives Promotion (CSIP) and project implementation awardees, including MCNV, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped (VNAH), Sustainable Health Development Centre (VietHealth), Hoang Duc Education Consulting Company, Disability Research and Capacity Development Center (DRD).

***Mr.Nguyen Quoc Hung (NACCET) speaks at the conference.***

Implemented in the period from 2021-2026, the Inclusion project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with NACCET being the managing agency, is implemented in 8 provinces: Quang Tri, Thua Thien – Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Binh Dinh, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai.

In Tay Ninh, the project will provide direct support to 7,500 people with disabilities, of which 75% will be benefited from the increase of quality of life indicators (approximately 5,625 people).

***Ms.Nguyen Thi Phuong Nhung (Project Manager – CSIP) speaks at the conference.***

The overall goal of the project is built on four objectives: expanding healthcare, rehabilitation and social services, improving policies and public attitudes, reduce barriers, ensure social inclusion of PwDs and strengthening the capacity in managing and implementing activities to support PwDs at all levels of relevant departments.
At the conference, the participants exchanged the information on the implementation of project activities as planned, discussed and approved on the mechanisms of collaboration, coordination, planning and reporting of stakeholders during the implementation process in Tay Ninh province, ensuring the completion of the project objectives in terms of quality, quantity and timing.

As one of the implementation awardee, MCNV will contribute to improving the quality of rehabilitation services in Tay Ninh province through clinical skills training to 15 rehabilitation staff (12 physiotherapists – PT, 3 speech and language therapists – SALT) for a period of 6 months (June 2022 to December 2022).

***MSc.MD.Pham Dung, MCNV Country Director speaks at the conference.***

The training will be carried out in the form of matching 01 coach with 01 coachee or in groups (maximum number of 3 coachees), with a coaching program tailored for each individual coachee.
SALT coaching is conducted online while PT will be coached using both face-to-face approach and virtual platform.
It is expected that after completing the training course, 15 rehabilitation technicians and practitioners will be able to provide quality rehabilitation services to 540 patients and 129 PwDs and improve the functions for 100 of these PWDs./.

Organisations lend hand for sustainable forestry in Vietnam

“Quang Tri, Aspiration of Peace” event

Annual Report and Account 2021

Healthy food, strong women and equal opportunities

New plans to strengthen our nutrition program

600 women and girls

Magazine 2022-2

WWF’s trip to PROSPER project site

Exposure visit to PROSPER project sites for designing Education Tour on Nature and Environment

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Inclusion 3 project kicked off in Tay Ninh province