TalkVietnam

(CPV) - A project to reduce the disaster risks for residents in Tien Giang and Dong Thap provinces was launched on May 22.
This 1-year project (worth GBP132,000 or VND4.22 billion) partnered between Save the Children and Prudence Foundation Vietnam aims to increase the emergency preparedness and resilience for 3,500 vulnerable children and 14,000 community members in coastal areas with a high risk of disasters.

Tien Giang and Dong Thap are among forefronts in the Mekong river delta to be hit by disasters which have been getting worse due to the climate change impacts. Children are particularly vulnerable and more susceptible so more likely to be injured or killed in a disaster. As many as over 90% of the total casualties in the most recent floods in the Mekong Region in 2011 were children.

Photo: Thuy Quynh

“Save the Children believes that while children are vulnerable, they also have the potential to effectively communicate risks and act as agents of change in their communities”, said Mr Doan Anh Tuan, Acting Country Director of Save the Children.
Through trainings on emergency preparedness, rescues drills and other life saving skills in schools and in the communities, the project is expected to raise awareness of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and the possible impact of climatic hazards on communities and schools in Mekong region, strengthen children and their communities’ capacity and to build a culture of disaster resilience in communities through mitigation measures and risk reduction practices.

The British Ambassador to Vietnam, Dr. Antony Stokes stressed the important education for community in Vietnam about climate change and emergency preparedness, saying that larger communities in Vietnam can get more benefits from this project.

Since 2003, Save the Children has been working on DRR in Tien Giang province. It helps to reduce the disaster risks facing children and their communities and increase their resilience to the harsher climate these children will inherit./.