Who benefits?

The projects actions target poor and vulnerable families. Women participate significantly in the project’s activities, and 40% of the beneficiary families involved in house strengthening has been headed by women, and participate directly and efficiently in the animation and communication activities. Many are proud of what they have achieved and share their experience. The project works with families to show how existing buildings can be strengthened simply and efficiently in a manner that is sympathetic to local tastes and visual preferences and this is important in developing local acceptance of techniques that can be used. Families always contribute both in kind and financially to the cost of strengthening.

The family group is central to the implementation of a family based vulnerability reduction process.

Family groups for damage prevention
The community and potential beneficiary families in a village collectively select the families who are directly helped by the project. Everyone participates in decisions about which families should have priority for support and credit.

Once the group is formed they provide support in the management of credit for house strengthening, and they participate in assessing what work needs to be done. Through experience gained with the project, these families become a focal point for sharing information and their experience. A group leader represents the views of the family group at commune level. Link: now_selection

The case of Madam Phan Thi Yêm is quite typical.

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