Mr. Nguyen Tuan Hung is a young staff of the Division of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tan Uyen District, Lai Chau Province. From being skeptical of the project’s effectiveness, he has become more confident in the changes he has seen with his own eyes. Read on about what the project task force has to tell us about this young man.
Nguyen Tuan Hung during a training session by CARE. Photo: Giang Vu/CARE
From a skeptic
During the very first days learning about the Information for adaptation in Vietnam(InfoAct) project, Hung felt rather concerned about its challenges in Lai Chau. He doubted the way it would be carried out and its feasibility and results for the local people.
“I’m already busy with my job, which will be harder with additional work from the project. And the people are poor and live scatteringly. Will they be willing to join the activities?”
Nguyen Tuan Hung
Nevertheless, assigned by his employer, he attended all project activities. He received training on facilitation skilles. He also observed a Village Savings and Loan Association meeting in Dien Bien province, another project location besides his home province of Lai Chau.
Nguyen Tuan Hung: “VSLA is about sharing experience with each other about production and family [management].” By doing so, they have higher production skills and increase household income.” Photo: Nguyen Van Dap/CARE
To becoming an active participant
He had kept his opinion until visiting a VSLA group in his own district. He talked to ethnic minority women who are the project participants. For the first time, he heard with his own ears what the ethnic minority women talked about at such a meeting. He saw with his own eyes the eagerness of the members. This contrasted to his previous perceptions about community participation in projects.
Other activities provided him further understanding about the significance of the project. In particular, he sensed the importance of developing down-scaled climate advisories and agricultural advice that InfoAct promotes. This is also in line with his technical area and daily tasks. More importantly, he saw the positive impact of such advisories on the life of poor ethnic minority people. Based on such information, they could change their farming practice to improve coffee cultivation results.
Hung said he would arrange his work so that he could support the project further. He also thought of encouraging his wife to take part in the VSLA where they live.
The project InfoAct, or Information for adaptation in Vietnam, receives funding from the German Government. CARE implements it in Dien Bien with the Center for Community Development, and in Lai Chau with the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The project aims at strengthening the livelihood and resilience of poor ethnic minority women and men in rural areas to climate change and climate shocks.