Over the past 15 years, the national natural disaster prevention and control funds has provided special care for vulnerable individuals and households across the country in a bid to help them overcome hardship, as well as ensure a safe and sustainable life for them during a natural disaster.

Mrs. Le Thi Thuc provides financial assistance for impoverished women in Hau Giang Province.

Since 2015, the Revolving Fund for the Natural Disaster Prevention and Control for Poor Women, has provided them with financial aid to strengthen their house that can withstand natural disasters. It serves as a successful example for community-based disaster risk management model in Viet Nam in efforts to promote both disaster preparedness and adaptation to climate change.

Mrs. Tran Thị Kim Tung, a resident of the Le Son 2 Village, Hoa Tien Commune, Hoa Vang District, Da Nang, has just finished the construction of a flood-resistant loft in her house at a total cost of VND 25 million from this Fund.

Previously, her family members had to move out of their house during a flood caused by heavy rains. However, thanks to the fund's support, they now have a safe shelter during a flood.

Mrs. Pham Thi Thuy, the Vice Chairwoman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Women's Union highlighted the significance of effective management in the Revolving Fund in an attempt to help more poor families and individuals get access to loans.

Over the past 15 years, the “Green future” program and a project to provide education equipment have been implemented across the country in order to ensure that no student drops out of school due to natural disasters. Accordingly, scholarships totaling VND over 27 billion have been granted to more than 1,000 disadvantaged students, while nearly 250 disaster-impacted schools nationwide have been provided with effective recovery support in order to get their students back into classrooms after a disaster.

The national funds has also gone beyond disaster relief. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Viet Nam, the Funds raised nearly 10 billion VND from donors through the "Sending Love, Joining Hands to Fight the Pandemic" program. The Funds successfully completed its relief efforts across the country even under lockdown conditions in order to provide essential support to people in need during a difficult time.

Thanks to its constant efforts, commitment, professionalism, the national funds has earned the trust and support of sponsors in order to allow it to expand its operations into all 55 Vietnamese localities. With hundreds of support projects now underway, the fund's success reflects the community's sense of responsibility and the sponsors' confidence in its volunteer-driven activities to ensure the safety of local residents in the face of disasters.

Mrs. Le Thi Thuc from the national natural disaster prevention and control funds shared that "The boundless happiness of people in affected areas when they receive support from the funds has motivated us to do our utmost to help local communities prepare for and recover from disasters over the past 15 years."

She expressed her delight at seeing children carrying their school bags to safe and well-equipped schools, the smiles on the faces of poor women receiving financial aid to upgrade their homes to be more resilient to disasters, and the happiness of local communities having access to safe drinking water. These moments, she said, are "immense joys" that drive the funds’ continued commitment to disaster prevention and control.

"We believe that life is full of love when love is shared," Mrs. Thuc said.

She also emphasized the positive impact the fund has on those most vulnerable to natural disasters.

Reporting by THU MINH - Translating by DUY BINH