Residents of Yen Dinh Commune, Bac Ninh Province, were delighted to receive cash assistance for livelihood recovery under Phase II of the project.
From the humanitarian support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, thousands of households affected by Typhoon Yagi and its post-storm circulation are step-by-step restoring their livelihoods and stabilizing their lives. The implementation of Phase II of the Project not only demonstrates the spirit of compassion and community responsibility, but also creates an important foundation to help people recover production, improve community disaster response capacity, and aim for sustainable development.
Taking people as the center
Typhoon Yagi and the post-storm circulation in 2024 left particularly serious consequences for many northern midland and mountainous provinces. Prolonged heavy rain, flash floods, landslides, and widespread flooding affected the lives of tens of thousands of households, with houses swept away, crops submerged, and many clean water, sanitation, and essential infrastructure works seriously damaged.
Stemming from the actual damage and the urgent needs of the people in the storm and flood areas, the Vietnam Red Cross Society has implemented Phase II of the Project “Emergency appeal to overcome consequences, respond, recover and rebuild after Typhoon Yagi and post-storm circulation in 2024” (implementation time lasts until March 31, 2026) with non-refundable aid from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to continue helping people overcome damage after the storm and improve community resilience.
The project focuses on supporting about 35,000 people in 6 provinces: Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, and Thai Nguyen with a total budget of more than 23 billion VND. These are provinces heavily damaged by Typhoon Yagi and its post-storm circulation, with high rates of poor and near-poor households, seriously damaged basic infrastructure, and people facing many difficulties in self-recovery after the natural disaster.
The project is one of the important parts of the large-scale post-disaster recovery Plan of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, showing the core and coordinating role of the national humanitarian organization in connecting international resources with practical needs at the grassroots level, ensuring support for the right subjects, at the right time, and for the right needs.
The Vietnam Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, organized a Training of Trainers (ToT) course on Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment under the Project “Emergency appeal to overcome consequences, respond, recover and rebuild after Typhoon Yagi and post-storm circulation in 2024."
Unlike conventional charitable activities, the Project's activities are designed to be multi-sectoral and linked to the practical needs of the people, including: Conditional cash grants to support livestock, seedlings, animal feed, fertilizers, and barn repairs to improve household livelihoods; Conditional cash grants to support the construction of new toilets and the purchase of water tanks to improve sanitary conditions for beneficiary households; Carrying out communication activities on clean water, sanitation, and disease prevention in emergency situations to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and disease vectors; Capacity building training for Red Cross chapters at all levels, response forces, local authorities, and communities on disaster risk prevention, control, and mitigation, as well as providing psychological first aid support.
The project not only aims to “offset immediate losses” but, more importantly, provides a foundation for people to stand on their own after natural disasters, recover their livelihoods, improve living conditions, and be ready for the future.
Firmly rebuilding after storms and floods
As the Project is implemented, timely support closely aligned with actual needs has helped people gradually overcome difficult periods. Restored livelihood models, improved clean water sources, repaired housing, and communication and training sessions have helped people raise awareness of hygiene, health, and risk prevention; each activity carries a message of sharing and companionship to help people stabilize their lives.
As one of the households receiving cash support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through the Vietnam Red Cross Society, Mr. Phung Van Mau (in Phuong Tien commune, Thai Nguyen province) said that Typhoon Yagi in 2024 was a very large storm with prolonged heavy rain, rising floodwaters, and strong winds, causing serious damage to many households in the village, from rice and crops to houses. His family's fields and gardens were also buried deep under a thick layer of mud.
“Immediately after the storm, local authorities and Red Cross chapters at all levels promptly visited, inspected the damage, and summarized reports to propose support for the people. My family thanks the Party, the government, and the Red Cross chapters at all levels for their care and for creating conditions to help us partially overcome the damage caused by the natural disaster. With this support money, I will use it to buy livestock and feed to continue economic development and step-by-step stabilize my life,” Mr. Mau shared.
Mr. Phung Van Mau in Phuong Tien commune, Thai Nguyen province (sitting second from the right) said he would use the Project's support money to buy livestock and animal feed, continuing economic development and step-by-step stabilizing his life.
At a recent support receiving session, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thom (in Tay Yen Tu town, Bac Ninh province) excitedly expressed: “Receiving this support, I will buy seedlings and further develop livestock to soon restore production and stabilize the family economy. I am very happy and thank the Vietnam Red Cross Society for their concern and timely support for people heavily damaged by Typhoon Yagi.”
After a period of Project implementation, the lives of people in storm and flood areas have gradually stabilized. Livelihoods have been restored, the living environment is safer, and especially, the people's trust in the support of humanitarian organizations and local authorities has been further consolidated.
Spreading humanitarian values
The Project “Emergency appeal to overcome consequences, respond, recover and rebuild after Typhoon Yagi and post-storm circulation in 2024” Phase II not only carries the meaning of material support but also deeply spreads humanitarian values, the spirit of solidarity, and community responsibility. The companionship of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies along with the coordinating role of the Vietnam Red Cross Society has contributed to creating a systematic, sustainable, and people-centered post-disaster recovery support model.
Ms. La Thi Hue, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Phuong Tien commune, Thai Nguyen province, said: The livelihood support project implemented by the Vietnam Red Cross Society is an extremely practical activity for the locality, especially for households affected by natural disasters. Thanks to the timely support, many households soon had the conditions to restore production, recover livelihoods, and step-by-step stabilize their lives.
Ms. La Thi Hue, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Phuong Tien commune, Thai Nguyen province, said that thanks to the Project's timely support, many households have soon restored production, recovered their livelihoods, and step-by-step stabilized their lives.
On behalf of the leaders of the Commune People's Committee and the people of Phuong Tien commune, Ms. La Thi Hue sincerely thanked the Vietnam Red Cross Society, the Thai Nguyen Provincial Red Cross Society, and the accompanying partners and donors for their concern and support in helping the locality overcome the consequences of storms and floods. She expressed her hope that in the coming time, the locality would continue to receive the attention and companionship of Red Cross chapters at all levels in humanitarian programs and projects, contributing to improving the lives of local residents.
From the lands that once "struggled" under the weight of storms and floods, trust is being rekindled, and hope is sprouting—this serves as the vital foundation for localities and people to step firmly onto the path of reconstruction and sustainable development./.