Almost 75,000 people have been affected by recent flooding in northern parts of Vietnam. Floods and landslides, caused by torrential rain since 23rd June have claimed 21 lives, and 10 people are still missing. Many people are stranded without food, water and shelter.
ActionAid are currently working in two of the badly affected provinces – Ha Giang and Lai Chau – where we are implementing a local rights programme, supported by our child sponsorship programme.
Thankfully, all the ActionAid sponsored children are alive and well to the best of our knowledge. However, schools in the area have been badly damaged and learning materials, such as books, chairs and tables have been washed away. Although children are safe, their future is uncertain.
Fleeing to safety
Chang Van Ban (pictured right), nine years old, fled his home only moments before he saw it being destroyed by rock-fall.
‘It was 6am when I was awoken by pouring rain and fierce winds. I saw floodwater around our house, getting higher and faster every minute. My grandmother screamed “Rocks are rolling down on our house! Run now”. By the time we reached the road, our house was in pieces.’
Luckily Ban and the rest of his family narrowly managed to escape, but Ban has been left traumatised.
‘The floods have taken everything, my clothes, books and school supplies. All my parent’s crops have been destroyed.’ said Ban.
Sadly, almost half of our sponsored children’s families have been impacted in some way by the disaster.
Ban’s family is terrified thinking about how to survive the next three months. They have no place to sleep, barely enough food to eat and Ban cannot think of going to school with no books or uniform.
ActionAid is responding
Through the generosity of child sponsors, ActionAid has made huge strides in promoting education and transforming lives in northern Vietnam. However, the floods have jeopardised this progress. Schools have been badly damaged, water has destroyed chairs, books and learning materials.
We will work with local communities to repair the damage to schools so that children can return to school as soon as possible.
We are working to rebuild homes so that families like Ban’s have a secure roof over their heads. We will provide seeds for crops and small livestock so that families can replant the crops that were destroyed and get back to earning a living.
We aim to benefit 16,000 people through our emergency response. By donating a gift today, you can help us reach even more families like Ban’s. You can help them grow food. You can let them rebuild. You can help them live.
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