East Meets West a program of Thrive Networks
In align with the Vietnamese government’s response to COVID-19 and the World Health Organization’s recommendations, Thrive Networks/East Meets West Foundation (EMWF) supported the provincial efforts to prevent COVID-19 transmission at the local level through the implementation of a COVID-19 Response project (Phase 1) in the period of May to July 2020, as part of the Women-Led Output-Based Aid Vietnam project, funded by Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Water for Women Fund.
Phase 1 activities included distribution of portable hand washing stations to 172 commune health facilities, 172 kindergartens, 980 disadvantaged households in five provinces of the WOBA project, distribution of water tanks to 200 disadvantaged households in Ben Tre province, and promotional activities to promote handwashing and hygienic practices as representative measures of COVID-19. Following the WOBA project approach, the Vietnam Women Union (WU) was the key partner agency implementing the COVID-19 response.
Using a mixed method case study approach, the study demonstrates positive impacts of the WU’s promotional activities, with “confidence in knowing how to wash hands properly” reported as most significant impact.
Read the full case study at: Hand washing products and hygiene promotion in rural Vietnam.
At the heart of our programs are strong partnerships with government, private sector, civil society groups, and local communities. We also implement learning and feedback strategies to strengthen our approaches to promoting gender and socially inclusive WASH practices in our partner communities.
