USAID-funded project helps pandemic-affected people in central region

The US$1 million project is set to be implemented across 40 communes in 10 central localities, namely Da Nang city, along with Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, and Phu Yen provinces. This process will be taking place until April to help affected local residents rapidly overcome difficulties and stabilise their lives.

In line with the plan, each locality will select four communes severely hit by the pandemic, as well as floods in late 2020 to implement the project in. It is therefore expected that over 12,000 poor and near-poor households with over 37,300 people will benefit from the impact of the project.

The project will also provide food coupons for needy people and boost communications relating to hygiene and clean water to raise public awareness of issues, thereby helping to prevent and slow down the disease transmission.

Tran Sy Pha, head of the Disaster Management Board of the Vietnam Red Cross Society's Central Committee, said that the project can be viewed as being of great significance to people in the central region amid ongoing pandemic outbreaks, particularly following the appearance of new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Vietnam Red Cross Society, out of 509 interviewed households in 43 districts of the 10 central localities, 55% lost incomes from farming or fishing; 28% lost revenue related to small business; 26% lost their jobs, and 23% endured a reduction in working hours.

As a result, 82% of households require cash or vouchers in order to meet their main needs, whilst 49% require support to restore their livelihoods.