ReliefWeb

This report covers the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012

Overview Disaster preparedness: The achievements under the disaster preparedness component in 2012 were around strengthening the coordination structure towards the one-programme approach initiated by Viet Nam Red Cross (VNRC) in 2011 with the Mekong Floods oeration; improving national disaster response mechanisms through finetuning guidelines for distributions; strengthening the preparedness capacity for VNRC before the typhoon season;and enhancing the VNRC profile in the national legal framework as well as providing capacity building for VNRC in cash transfer programming (CTP) and logistics.

Community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR): In 2012, with funding from Japanese Red Cross Society and technical support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), VNRC’s mangrove plantation/disaster risk reduction (MP/DRR) project aimed at sustainability with an additional focus on climate change adaptation (CCA). The project developed 32 forest protection and management groups, and 25 community response teams; and conducted training on DRR/CCA for nearly 7,000 community members, elementary teachers and school children. In October 2012, Typhoon Son-Tinh struck the coastal provinces of Viet Nam, including some project provinces. The respective Red Cross chapters and the VNRC headquarters successfully responded to the disaster, and most of the mangroves planted by VNRC were able to withstand the impact of the typhoon.

Health and care: In 2012, with funding assistance from the UK Department of International Development (DFID) and technical support from IFRC, VNRC continued its community-based model in dengue fever prevention in a changing climate in Hau Giang province. Overall, 20 communes have benefitted from the interventions while effectiveness was assessed via knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) surveys and collated with surveillance data. VNRC was able to use evidence from the surveys and experiences in working toward resilient communities through health interventions. These interventions involved sharing and advocacy for integrating community-based climate-sensitive disease prevention in broad climate change adaptation programmes through international and national forums. A proposal for further investment in the area of community resilience that is inclusive of climate-sensitive diseases, was developed and accepted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to further support VNRC in scaling up its work.

Organizational development: During 2012, with technical assistance from IFRC and funding from American Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross and DFID (who signed a memorandum of understanding with VNRC with both health and organizational development components), VNRC has made considerable improvement to enhance its capacity in human resource management, volunteer management, financial management and communication. The VNRC headquarters conducted its first financial audit and VNRC leadership showed support for the need to improve its human resource system. Meanwhile, VNRC chapters and branches have received training in planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER), volunteer management and communication. In the past year, VNRC experienced significant changes in leadership, as it welcomed the new president in July, and saw the retirement of two vicepresidents/undersecretary-generals in the third quarter, which has led to some delay in programme activities.