Netherlands NGOs: Supporting Vietnamese People

Thứ năm, ngày 13 tháng 4 năm 2023 | 12:11

Having been present in Vietnam since the fierce years of the war, cooperating and supporting the Vietnamese people in essential fields such as health, education, poverty alleviation, and development assistance for women, Dutch NGOs have joined hands with Vietnam to overcome the consequences of the war, eliminated hunger and reduced poverty, and risen to socio-economic development.

The joy of children in difficult circumstances having the support from AI volunteers (Photo: AI)

Messengers of love

Over the years, the children at Da Nang Red Cross Orphanage, Hoa Mai Vi Thanh Orphanage (Hau Giang province) have been familiar with the English lessons of Teacher Leslie Palmer. She is one of the volunteers of Activity International (AI) - a Dutch NGO. Present in Vietnam since 2014, AI volunteers have taken care of many orphans, disabled people and disadvantaged people in Da Nang and Hau Giang, helping them learn English, life skills, and play sports.

In March 2020, the AI-aided "Building a physical therapy and rehabilitation area" project was put into use in Hau Giang. With a construction cost of about VND600 million (US$25,589), the project includes a physiotherapy room, rehabilitation room, and a playground, meeting the needs of treatment and comprehensive care of patients at Hau Giang Social Work Center.

In Da Nang, in 2014-2019, AI sent more than 300 international volunteers to support social facilities and schools in need in the city.

Volunteers support physical and mental health care for patients at social facilities, helping children get acquainted with English. They mobilize funding to invest in facilities, health care, therapeutic activities, and extracurricular education.

Sharing with the press, Dang Van Quoc Viet, head of the AI Program in Vietnam said: "We have been maintaining a team of international volunteers who regularly contribute to lightening the work of caregivers. They partially compensate for the disadvantage of people with unfortunate circumstances and contribute to building a better understanding of Vietnam for international friends".

Health care for vulnerable people

Medical Committee Netherlands-Vietnam (MCNV) is the first foreign non-governmental organization operating in Vietnam during the national liberation war. MCNV has provided medicines and large-scale medical equipment to localities severely damaged by war and sent many delegations of experts and medical staff to help Vietnam.

MCNV received the Friendship Medal from the President of Vietnam 4 times (Photo: MCNV)

In 1974, MCNV mobilized US$4 million to build Dutch Hospital in Quang Tri, serving the people here for 20 years. In the 1980s and 1990s, MCNV continued to effectively support projects such as the program on tuberculosis control, malaria control, and primary health care in Quang Tri.

Currently, MCNV has many different programs and projects to support the poor, ethnic minorities, and women with HIV/AIDS such as healthcare for people with disabilities; social inclusion development for children with disabilities; support groups of women and children living with HIV/AIDS; raising awareness about the sexual, reproductive health and rights of adolescent girls; support women to implement poverty reduction livelihood programs.

From 2017 to now, MCNV has expanded its funding for projects in Vietnam's priority areas such as climate change adaptation, business development, and value chains. MCNV's activities have been implemented in 14 provinces and cities nationwide. These are projects that are not only medical in nature, but also meaningful in terms of social integration, awareness raising, and rights of beneficiaries.

Joint steps to prevent tuberculosis

Coming to Vietnam in the 1990s, the Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Association (KNCV) has supported Vietnam in implementing effective TB interventions. These include improved diagnosis, improved care for patients with drug-resistant TB, and the ability to measure reductions in TB incidence over time using TB prevalence surveys.

Netherlands NGOs: Supporting Vietnamese People

KNCV and Vietnam National Tuberculosis Program signed a cooperation agreement for the period 2016 - 2020 (Photo: KT)

KNCV also supports Vietnam to scale up the programmatic management of drug-resistant TB (PMDT); supports the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Program to develop and carry out the second national TB incidence survey. This survey provides an accurate overview of the current TB burden along with the information needed to develop a TB elimination strategy in Vietnam and to estimate funding needs for interventions.

In 2021-2025, KNCV works closely with the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Program to support the development and implementation of the National Strategic Plan for TB Control 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030.

KNCV-funded projects focus on the introduction of new drugs and regimens, advanced diagnostics, TB infection control, and preparation of a strategic TB control plan.

AI, MCNV, KNCV are three out of 12 Dutch NGOs operating in Vietnam. Through projects and programs to support women and children, disadvantaged people, and people in difficult circumstances; tuberculosis prevention; improve the operational capacity of cooperatives; small and medium enterprises; environmental protection, Dutch NGOs have contributed to Vietnam's process of poverty reduction, sustainable development and international integration while promoting friendship and cooperation between Vietnamese - Dutch people.

In November 2022, when working with the delegation of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations in the Netherlands, the NGOs of this country appreciated the guidelines and policies to attract aid from Vietnam. The organizations affirmed that they will continue to promote aid activities in Vietnam in the coming time.

Q.Hoa t.h / Vietnamtimes