Vietnam has become one of the most significant developing countries in Southeast Asia. After decades of destructive war, the nation slowly started to recover economically. Between 1993 and 2014, 40 million individuals escaped poverty, with the poverty rate dropping from 60% to 14%. Despite a dramatic decrease in poverty levels, living in rural areas has not changed a lot.  The poverty threshold has also increased, from 700,000 VND to 1.5 million VND in rural areas and 900,000 VND to 2 million VND in urban areas.

Organizations recognize Vietnam’s discrepancy in the quality of life for rural versus urban communities. As such, many poverty alleviation initiatives focus on increasing rural welfare. Oxfam, the international non-governmental organization that works on combating poverty, has invested significantly in rural communities by securing better infrastructure, employment and social programming. As Oxfam’s mission is to create equitable societies across the globe, action taken not only addresses short term crises, but builds long term improvements.

Oxfam in Vietnam

The Secured Livelihoods and Resilient Communities Goal initiative seeks to provide greater income for minority and women’s groups, which often face discrimination. Additionally, Oxfam aims to provide infrastructure and enhance agricultural production. As agriculture is the core industry in rural communities, bolstering production capabilities not only improves economic output but also mitigates the potential effects of natural disasters.

Furthermore, to meet these goals, Oxfam acts as a bridge between the government, the private sector and rural communities. As an influential international organization, Oxfam looks out for the interests of rural communities by holding the government and the private sector accountable when developing policy and partnerships.

Oxfam proposed policies that benefit rural communities by focusing on inclusivity, accountability, and sustainability, all of which are currently lacking. These policies are implemented through plans such as the Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plan and feminist perspectives. The policies facilitate economic growth and prevent labor from being taken advantage of. In addition, the introduction of feminist ideology as well as training women to take on leadership roles, bridges the gender gap.

Tran Nam Clean Tea Cooperative

So far, Oxfam Vietnam has delivered tangible results for the rural communities. With the help of Oxfam, the Tran Nam Clean Tea Cooperative transitioned from firewood and gas to utilizing green energy. Not only was production cleaner, but working conditions for laborers along with an increase in revenue.

On a smaller scale, Oxfam has also served as a launchpad for individuals in rural communities. Mai Thi Cam, who lived below the poverty line, faced significant challenges in caring for her family during the pandemic. Through Oxfam’s Resilience program in collaboration with New Zealand and the Red Cross, she started a livestock farm and learned to manage it through educational courses.

The Future

If poverty trends remain consistent, Vietnam’s living conditions could improve significantly, with greater financial security and more individuals moving up to the middle class. Organizations such as Oxfam play a critical role in ensuring development and welfare are accessible to all, especially rural communities. The continued service and investments from Oxfam and other NGOs need continued support from governments and organizations, foreign and domestic.

– Owen Wu

Owen is based in Westborough, MA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr