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PROSPER project just receives a grant of VND 850 million (~ EUR 33,000) from the An Vui Fund by Mr. Dai Nghia, a celebrity in Vietnamese showbiz who is well-known for both of his talent and strong commitment to helping disadvantaged communities.

The cash, donated by Mr.Dai Nghia, his fellow artists and friends, will be used to plant 128,500 trees, contributing to healing 15 ‘wounds’ Quang Tri forests are struggling with after the flashfloods and landslides last October and November.

On the morning of January 22, together with a team of more than 20 fellow artists, Mr.Dai Nghia traveled to Chenh Venh village, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province to hand over the donation to MCNV.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr.Dai Nghia said:

“For the recent few years, I’ve been feeling the pain of the loss of forests caused by deforestation, fire and disaster. That’s why I decided to do something to help the nature heal its pains. I know, I cannot do it alone. I’ve spent several years to search for a companion on this journey”.

“When I was introduced to MCNV during a business trip to Quang Tri, I felt like I have found the trust-worthy companion that I’ve been looking for. MCNV, as I know, is a Dutch NGO with lots of projects contributing to supporting disadvantaged communites.”

In response to the MC’s meaningful speech, Mr.Nguyen Dinh Dai, MCNV Chief of Central Vietnam Office expressed his heartfelt thank to Mr.Dai Nghia and all donors.

“We’ve been used to receive donation from overseas donors, mostly from Europe, in particular, the Netherlands. Nowadays, we begin to receive more support from Vietnamese individual and business donors. In the last several years, our donors have shifted the model of support from giving the ‘fish’ to giving the ‘fishing rod’ to the beneficiaries.”

“Today, instead of ‘giving fishing rod’, our sponsors focuses on the partnership with beneficiaries, like the partnership between businesses and farmers, or the collaboration between sponsors and organizations. The grant from Mr.Dai Nghia signifies this new trend of sponsorship, which will generate long-term and sustainable results”.” Mr.Dai noted.

The handover of grant was followed by trees planting activity by Mr.Dai Nghia, the team of artists, Huong Hoa district leader and MCNV representative.

As part of the tree planting trip, on two days (Jan 21 and Jan 22), the group of artists presented 1,000 packs of gifts (rice, cooking oil, dried food) to 1,000 ethnic minority households in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province./.

The first Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Lab was officially handed over to Hue University of Medicines and Pharmacy (UMP) by MCNV on January 21.

The ADL Lab was built as part of the project ‘Interdisciplinary rehabilitation services supporting children with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive’ (I-THRIVE).

I-THRIVE is sponsored by the US Agency of International Development (USAID) with the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP) being implementing partner. The project site is located in two Central provinces of Quang Nam and Thua Thien – Hue.

In Thua Thien – Hue, the project’s major local partner is Hue University of Medicines and Pharmacy (UMP). The University has been working with CCIHP to pilot a model of interdisciplinary rehabilitation services supporting children with autism, and collaborate with MCNV in capacity building for rehabilitation professionals.

ADL Lab plays a significant part in training, as it is used as a simulated setting to equip the students with relevant skills to help patients increase their independence in daily living.

As part of I-THRIVE project, Hue UMP has received requisite technical and financial support to build two ADL Labs: one for adults and one for children.

The ADL Lab for Adults in Hue UMP was completed in January 2021 with the support of MCNV. Designed as a simulated apartment area, the ADL Lab includes a bathroom, toilet, a bed, a sitting area, dinning area and a kitchen.

On the afternoon of January 21, the ADL Lab was officially inaugurated and handed over to the Hue UMP in a ceremony attended by representatives of USAID, CCHIHP and MCNV.

*As part of I-THRIVE project, on the morning of January 21, a workshop themed ‘Enhancing the capability of Rehabilitation Professionals’ was held. In the event, 30 health workers in provincial/district hospitals and health centers in Thua Thien – Hue province were awarded with the Certificate of Graduation from the 12-month course in Physio Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

Photo credited to Tran Huu Duc

Recently, 12 Bachelor program students of HCMC University of Medicines and Pharmacy have completed their four-year journey in Occupational Therapy (OT) major.

MCNV Country Director Dr.Pham Dung was present at the Graduation ceremony held on December 24. In this special ocassion, on behalf of MCNV, Dr.Dung Pham handed congratulatory gifts to 12 new Bachelor degree holders.

He congrated them on successfully concluding the course, wishing them all the best in their following paths, whether it be working as Occupational Therapist or higher learning and research.

 Since 2015, a 5 – year project on Development of Occupational Therapy Education in Vietnam has been implemented by MCNV. The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Humanity & Inclusion (HI) to launch the project Development of Occupational Therapy Education in Vietnam. Vietnam’s first Bachelor program in Occupational Therapy. As part of the project, the Bachelor program in OT was piloted in HCMC University of Medicines and Pharmacy and Hai Duong University of Medical Technology.

MCNV has been working to support these two universities in various aspects, including: developing program curricula, providing capacity building for lecturers, post-graduation coaching.

Ho Van Cat on his piece of land which is now ready for cultivation.

The historic floods and landslides have massively devastated numerous areas in Quang Tri province, in particular Huong Hoa district. Amidst the loss of livelihood, thousands of people are looking for the light of hope…

After the devastating flooding and landslide in November, Mr. Ho Van Cat, resident of Ma Lai Pun hamlet, Huong Phung commune (Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province) is embarking on a new challenging journey of post disaster relief.

 “For the last three days, I have been so excited that I cannot sleep!” Ho Van Cat says while rubbing his two hands against each other.

Standing on his 0.35 hectare piece of land, which just has been leveled and divided into five parts, Cat’s face glows with blissfulness. Under the sun, his eyes glistens like a child who has got the gift of his dream from Santa Claus.

Seeing his smile today, it is hard to imagine how frustrated Cat was two weeks back.

“If no one reached out a hand to us, we would not survive!”, he sadly said.

Located by a stream, the paddy field, the only livelihood of Cat’s family was deeply buried under huge layers of soil and rocks carried down by landslides.

The only crop of the family normally starts in December, and they would not be to access to farming land without the support of bulldozer. Nothing to be sowed, nothing to be reaped. The future of the family of eight, including five children, would be haunted by hunger.

Luckily, Cat’s family were not alone as they are one of the first four poor households in the hamlet receiving the support from MCNV and local authorities.

With the financial support of EUR 10,000 from Dutch donors via MCNV, tonnes of earth and rocks have been removed, making 03 hectare of agricultural land accessible to the affected owners.

The post disaster relief work will take time and MCNV is trying our best to make sure that those flood victims are not alone in their new struggle.

• The damage caused by floods and landslide in October and November occurred on a large scale in Quang Tri province. leaving 58 death and missing.
• Thousands of cattle and poultry were killed/washed away, thousands hectares of crop were destructed. Hundreds of hectares of rice plantation and 5.8 ha of agricultural land were inundated.

(Tung Nguyen, MCNV Program Coordinator)

On December 21, MCNV was conferred with the Merit of Recognition for the Contribution to Poverty reduction and Sustainable development by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO).

On December 21 an event to recognize the contributions of NGOs to poverty reduction and sustainable development of Vietnam was held in Hanoi by VUFO.

MCNV was honored to be one of 50 NGOs being conferred this Merit of Certificate 2020; summarized and evaluated the achieved results and proposed directions to cooperate with foreign NGOs in the coming time.

Speaking at the ceremony, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga, foreign NGOs, emphasized the contribution of foreign NGOs in Vietnam. She noted the timely support of NGOs for Vietnam during adversity, especially the battle against COVID-19, response to climate change and post disaster recovery in the Central region.

In 2020, the total value of foreign NGOs aid for Vietnam is estimated at USD 250 million, of which nearly USD 9 million was for post disaster reliefs and USD 6.5 million for COVID-19 prevention and control./.