Impacts of WOBA for marginalized households in rural Viet Nam. Lessons learnt from the Mid-Term Review of WOBA Viet Nam

This learning note is based on the findings from the mid term review of WOBA Vietnam, to share the knowledge and lessons learned about the beneficiaries’ WASH needs and the intended/unintended impacts of the WOBA project for the beneficiaries who are the marginalized households in the rural Vietnam.

Report of WOBA Cambodia latrine and water verification (July 2019 – Oct 2021)

This report presents the results of WOBA’s verification of newly built latrines and new piped water connections. The verification was conducted in the period of July 2019 to October 2021 for 5,325 latrines and 128 water connections by the EMW WASH team.

Hand washing products and hygiene promotion in rural Vietnam: A case study of the COVID-19 Response in the Women-Led Output-Based Aid (WOBA) Vietnam project

COVID-19 has brought attention to behavioural change communication. This study aimed to understand the extent to which the Women’s Union (WU) promotion of handwashing during the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced the knowledge, attitude and handwashing behaviour in rural Vietnam. Employing a case study approach in two provinces, the study surveyed 372 households, health staff, and kindergarten personnel, followed by structured interviews with 12 WU member. The findings suggest that there was a strong sense of morality among the WU members who viewed their handwashing promotion as a collective duty to ensure the health and wellbeing of their community. They promoted handwashing to prevent COVID-19 as part of the WU’s propaganda mandate of a socio-political organisation, which afforded them the legitimacy and authority in the community to carry out the promotion. From the community perspective, accessibility to these communication events and disseminated information on handwashing varied by education and income levels. Perceptions of effective communication methods to change handwashing behaviour were also influenced by socioeconomic characteristics of the information receivers. The study highlights the importance of understanding community-based approach to behavioural change communication, and methodological challenges in assessing such practices in the context of rural Vietnam.

Summary report of the Mid-Term Evaluation of WOBA Cambodia

This report summarises the findings of the mid-term evaluation of WOBA Cambodia. The evaluation assesses WOBA’s progress towards its planned outcomes and support learning by exploring the effectiveness of the strategies and activities implemented from June 2018 to June 2021. The summary report explores some initial indications of impacts and sustainability. It provides important recommendation in the ongoing implementation of the program and progress towards the project’s end-of-program outcomes.

Report of Focus Group Discussions and Scenario Experiment of WASH Suppliers’ Adaptation Financing

This publication reports on the results of the scenario-based field experiment and focus group discussion with the private sector WASH suppliers to understand the internal and external conditions which influence their decisions to provide resilient WASH services in the community. It offers insights into the conditions that enable private sector providers to deliver resilient WASH services for marginalised communities in rural Cambodia.

WASH and Climate-related Issues in Cambodia: A scoping review

This review scopes the current state of WASH access in Cambodia, and climate risks and vulnerability particularly in rural Cambodia. Relevant policies relating to WASH and climate mitigation and adaptation are discussed. The review is compiled to inform the development of the survey with households and local authorities about WASH situation, climate change experience and coping measures in rural Cambodia.

Report of the Survey with Households and Local Authorities in Rural Cambodia on WASH, Climate Change and Adaptation

This report presents the findings from the survey with households and local authorities in five provinces in rural Cambodia. The survey aimed to understand the current state of socio-economic situation, access and use of WASH service, perception of climate change impacts and existing adaptive capacity of the Cambodian rural households, particularly the poor and GESI groups.

Piloting Citizens Climate Network (CCN) in Cambodia. October 2022 Report.

The objective of the 5th month CCN activities is to raise awareness and to induce discussion about the connection between climate change, water, hygiene practices (sanitation) among the CCN members. The knowledge materials presented during this 5th session allowed the CCN member to learn about the impact of poor hygiene practices that link to malnutrition in child/adult and social welfare. Participants also learn about disadvantage of different type of trash and practice sorting them in the designated bins. The discussion also involves them to tackle their current problems related to hygiene practices of their communities.

CCN Pilots Evaluation and Insights Report

The evaluation reports on the extent to which the pilot has met its criteria for success based on Theory of Change. The report provides insights into how the project has engaged participants to the pilot, during the pilot and after the pilot has completed. What are the impacts of the pilot on the broader experience and behaviours of participants relating to climate change and adaptation, and as climate actors that can influence policy.

Empowering climate change adaptation at the grassroots level: A pilot of the Citizens Climate Network in rural Cambodia. Learning Brief.

This learning brief summarises the CCN pilots’ activities and results in two provinces in rural Cambodia. The findings strongly point to the effectiveness of enabling citizens at the village level to take up adaptation actions to counter increasing climate change risks and impacts. The study offers the CCN as a practical, cost-effective, and sustainable mechanism to effect Cambodia’s National Adaptation Program of Actions to Climate Change (NAPA) 2006, in ways that address their adaptation needs and build resilient communities.

Piloting Citizens Climate Network (CCN) in Cambodia. September 2022 Report.

The objective of the 4th month CCN activities is is to raise awareness and to induce discussion about the connection between water and livelihood among the CCN members. The knowledge materials presented during this 4th session allowed the CCN member to learn about the present of water system on earth, source of freshwater, the connection among different sources of water in its natural water cycle, and how important it is life, water management, and productive water use.

Piloting Citizens Climate Network (CCN) in Cambodia. August 2022 Report.

The objective of the 3rd month CCN activities is to raise awareness and to induce discussion about drought (causes, impact and adaptation) among the CCN members, which the starting point to promote their interest in climate change issues in relation to their livelihood. The knowledge materials presented during this 3rd session allowed the CCN member to learn about basic knowledge of drought science including the natural and manmade cause of drought, drought impact on Water, Sanitation and livelihood, common strategies to cope with drought at household and commune level.

Piloting Citizens Climate Network (CCN) in Cambodia. July 2022 Report.

The objective of the 2nd month CCN activities is to raise awareness and to induce discussion about flood (causes, impact and adaptation) among the CCN members, which the starting point to promote their interest in climate change issues in relation to their livelihood. The knowledge materials presented during this 2nd session allowed the CCN member to learn about basic knowledge of flood science including the natural and manmade cause of flood, flood impact on Water, Sanitation and livelihood, common strategies to cope with flood at household and commune level.

Piloting Citizens Climate Network (CCN) in Cambodia. June 2022 Report.

The objective of the 1st month CCN activities is to raise awareness and to induce discussion about climate change (causes, impact and adaptation) among the CCN members, which the starting point to promote their interest in climate change issues in relation to their livelihood. The knowledge materials presented during this 1st session allowed the CCN member to learn about basic knowledge of climate change science including the natural and manmade cause of climate change, climate related disasters, climate change impact on Water, Sanitation and livelihood, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

WOBA project summary conference 2021

On December 21, East Meets West Foundation collaborated with Vietnam Women Union to successfully organize the “WOBA project summary conference in 2021 and capacity enhancement training for provincial partners”. Nearly 60 participants joined the conference directly and virtually from Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Ben Tre.

Results of WOBA Vietnam Mid-Term Review

his report presents results of the Mid-Term Review (MTR) conducted for the ongoing (2018 – 2022) Women Led Output-based Aid Vietnam (WOBA) project funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Water for Women Fund. The project is being implemented in five rural provinces of Vietnam (Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Ben Tre) to bring equitable water, sanitation services and hygiene practices to marginalized households in rural communities. The MTR, conducted during March-July 2021, evaluates the program’s progress towards its planned outcomes and supports learning by exploring the effectiveness of the strategies and activities implemented from June 2018 to June 2021. It explores some initial indicators of impact and sustainability.

Lessons from Water for Women Fund!

Climate change and WASH are intrinsically linked. According to UN Water’s 2020 World Water Development Report, nearly three quarters of natural disasters are water related. When they hit, they can destroy critical WASH infrastructure and access – severely affecting the health, safety and food security of thousands, if not millions of people at a time.

Hand washing products and hygiene promotion in rural Vietnam: A case study of the COVID-19 Response in the Women-Led Output-Based Aid (WOBA) Vietnam Project

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.

“Turn waste into nutrition” project was launched!

In June 2021, the project named “Turn waste into the nutrition” of Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Thu won the second prize in the “Innovative women in developing solutions to improve sanitation and clean water for climate change adaption and social integration”. The contest is under the framework of the Women-Led Output Based project, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented by East Meets West Foundation.

Women are Key to Improving Rural Sanitation

On World Toilet Day, a marketing campaign in Viet Nam sheds light on what makes civil society organizations effective partners for development projects.

OBA and WASH services for marginalized households in rural Viet Nam. Policy implications from the Mid-term Review of WOBA Viet Nam

This policy brief draws on the results of the Mid-term Review of WOBA Vietnam about the success and limitations of applying the output-based aid model in delivering WASH services to the marginalized households in the rural Vietnam.

A Case Study of the COVID-19 Response in the Women-Led Output-Based Aid (WOBA) Vietnam project

Achieving Gender Equality through WASH: Nhung’s Story

“Thanks to my experience and involvement in joint efforts between VWU and EMW, I understand that improving women’s access to water and sanitation is one of the most effective ways to achieve gender equality.”

For Women, By Women: Huong’s Story

Huong is Head of Economic, Social and Family Affairs Department of Ha Tinh Provincial Women’s Union. She has also been a leader of our Women-Led Output-Based Aid (WOBA) project since the program commencement, assuming responsibility for planning, implementing and overseeing the program activities.