r be m ce De 08 20 Oxfam + Vietnam – 20 Year Anniversary
Van Thi Minh Chau – Oxfam’s longest-serving staff member People’s Committee: “Let People Understand” Ethnic Minority Women Doing Business Preparing for Disasters: Village Radio & Mezzanine Floors Together for Change
Stop Poverty, Stop Climate Change
Van Thi Minh Chau
Gansu, Hong Kong, Poland: Collecting Colours Global petition: www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/climatechange
By Phuong Chi
unfiltered water from distant springs
loans for women to raise pigs, provided
responsible for the maintenance and
in the mountains, the same water that
seeds and technical assistance for
sustainability.”
animals used. Disease was rampant.
fruit orchards, and organised teacher
When Chau went to Khe Nap,
There was a sub-standard school,
training. As coordinator, Chau involved
another village in the same district and
with inadequately trained teachers and
people all along the way: it is Oxfam’s
also with a new school and water system,
very basic facilities, so many parents
practice that people participate in the
it was clear how much she is cherished
did not think it was worth it to spend
entire process of planning, construction,
and respected. The villagers, this time
the little money they had to send their
implementation, maintaining and
of the Khmu minority, extended a warm
children there. Instead, many boys and
monitoring.
welcome, giving her warm hugs. “Chau
girls helped out in the fields. Either
“At first, people asked why they did
is very considerate in her job,” a Khmu
way, the young generation was losing
not receive payment for the work they
woman said. “She inspired us to get
out on a good education.
did in Oxfam’s project, because they are
involved from the beginning.”
“It was the first time people in Xop
normally paid in similar government-
Nhi had the chance to work with a
funded projects. I reminded them that
development organisation,” Chau said.
they are the ones who benefit from
“We talked a lot with the residents,
and own the construction, and are also
Van Thi Minh Chau is a Coordinator of Oxfam Hong Kong’s livelihood projects across Vietnam. She is based in Hanoi. Phuong Chi is a reporter with the Vietnam News Agency.
collecting their opinions, and making a
Chau (left) and villager in Nghe An
project plan together to ensure that it was effective and efficient. Oxfam had
When I met Van Thi Minh Chau,
her home province. She is Oxfam Hong
to be very flexible. No single model of
I was struck by her athletic physique,
Kong’s very first project officer in
good practice can work everywhere,
gentle smile, and the decisive look in
Hanoi and the longest-serving staff
especially in different ethnic minority
her eyes. Community development is
member there.
communities, and the most important
hard work, and even harder in some of
Chau remembers the first time she
thing in any community-based project
the country’s poorest areas: the remote
went to Xop Nhi, a Thai minority village
is for the residents to come to decisions
mountainous communities, which she
in Nghe An. It was 2002, and the living
suitable for themselves.” To Chau,
visits at least once a month, for up
conditions were extremely basic. Even
working with minority communities
to two weeks at a time. It seems that
getting there was difficult: she had to
requires good listening, patience, an
Chau’s sensibility and personality
walk up and down the slopes, a walking
open mind, and an understanding of
suits the job: she has been managing
stick in one hand, a knife in the other in
traditions.
li velih o o d s p roje c t s wi th e thni c
order to clear the paths. Most villagers
The Xop Nhi community built a
minority people for 15 years now in
kept animals under their wooden
fresh water system with a filter, plus a
several provinces, including Nghe An,
homes built on stilts, and they drank
new primary school. Oxfam gave small
Chau (first row, second from left), Phuong Chi (third from left), Oxfam Hong Kong colleagues and media personnel on a field trip in Nghe An.
Let people understand an interview with Luong Thanh Hai As President of the People’s Committee, how do you
In your opinion, what are the
Does Ox fam’s way of working
Can Oxfam’s participatory method
evaluate the impact of Oxfam’s projects on the socio-
identifying characteristics of Oxfam’s
conform to the state’s current policy of
serve as a model for development
economic development of Tuong Duong district?
projects?
promoting grassroots participation, and
projects in Tuong Duong and elsewhere,
does it help promote gender equality,
and in general, what issues should get
too?
more focus in the future?
Tuong Duong
is not a substantial sum of money, yet
The People’s Committee really values
is a district where
the benefits are invaluable. To me, the
Oxfam’s work methods. Community
the majority
most important benefit is that people
participation is at the core, and the
Oxfam’s participatory process fully
Oxfam’s integrated, participatory
of the population is poor and of
in Tuong Duong are now practicing
projects are always carried out in a clear,
accords with state policy – it is a process
and community-based model should
ethnic minority. Oxfam Hong Kong
environmentally-friendly methods in
concrete way. A survey always comes
through which people have the right to
certainly be promoted to improve
has been supporting development
their agriculture that are increasing
first, to carefully assess people’s needs
understand, consider and discuss all the
people’s living standards, yet it is
projects here since 1993. They have
people’s income and helping ensure a
and concerns. Then, in the planning
issues affecting them. It helps people
impossible to apply the entire Oxfam
been working with impoverished
more sustainable way of life. Another
process, people have the chance to
know what they want, what they should
model to all projects in Tuong Duong
communities to improve the trans-
positive result is that, in general,
discuss how best to implement the
do, how to do it effectively, and that
or in Nghe An Province as a whole,
portation infrastructure, irrigation
people are really involved in their
projects, to rank the priorities, to
the whole community benefits, as well
due to differences in nature, target
systems, water supply, health care, school
communities now. They speak up and
allocate work assignments, and in the
as the individual.
and scale.
construction, sustainable agriculture
help make all the decisions needed in
end, every household is aware of their
With gender equality, yes, there is
Two issues deserve more support
and more. On average, the financial
the implementation, maintenance and
rights and obligations. Thanks to this
progress: many Tuong Duong women
in the future. Fir s t , some of the
suppor t Ox fam contributes ever y
long-term monitoring of the community
method, people understand the here
are more confident and empowered
infrastructure that was supported in
year to this district amounts to about
development projects.
and now, and they trust that there
now, thanks to Oxfam’s way of working.
the past could use maintaining and
will be many benefits in the long run.
Typically, it had been the men who
even upgrading; investment and capital
This firm foundation is important for
made the final decisions in the family
is needed. Secondly, although many
sustainability.
and community, but nowadays, women
people have worked their way out of
have more say. The new women’s
poverty through projects supported by
groups have proven particularly useful:
international agencies such as Oxfam,
the solidarity makes the women’s
58.2 per cent of families in Tuong Duong
strength even stronger.
remain impoverished, especially in
1.8 billion VND (about US$100,000). This
the mountainous areas of the district. More resources need to be extended to these remote regions, and the local government there needs support, too. Human resources are very limited, with district employees in charge of many different projects at once. Luong Thanh Hai, of the Thai ethnic minority, is President of the People’s Committee in Tuong Duong District in Nghe An. Cao Cuong, Editor of Investment Review Magazine, conducted the interview on behalf of Oxfam Hong Kong. Photos by Pham Tung Lam and courtesy of Luong Thanh Hai.
Ethnic minority women doing business By Thanh Ha
In the 1990s, four out of five people
The Women’s Union in the district
list; they now run a small handicrafts
in the village of Yen Thanh went
set up a weaving group, and the
business by themselves. The women’s
hungry for much of the year. Nestled
leader Luong Thi Lai recalls that at the
products are now for sale at shops in Ho
in the mountains of Nghe An Province,
beginning, the Union had to personally
Chi Minh City, Hanoi and other urban
Yen Thanh is home to about 630 Thai
visit each family so that the women
areas, as well as through stores via Craft
minority people who had been totally
could be persuaded to join. The group
Link, a non-profit organisation in Hanoi
dependent on agriculture for their
started with 20 members who were
that works with about 40 such crafts
living. Yet, because the area is prone
each given VND 60,000 (equivalent
groups and participates in international
to floods and drought, harvests would
to about US$6 at that time) to buy
trade fairs.
fluctuate, income too, and people’s
thread. Looms and sewing machines
About half of the families in the
food supply. The poorest families would
were also provided, because in the past,
village now have at least one woman
not have any rice for several months
the women used to only sew by hand,
in the weaving group. The woven
of the year, eating only yams and
which took weeks to finish a single item.
products bring in an annual income of
tubers. Women led especially difficult
Participants attended advanced training
around VND2-3 million (about US$120-
lives: they had little say in the family
in designing, sewing and dyeing led
180) for about 150 households. Families
and in the community, yet had a huge
by American and Thai experts in the
feel that the future is brighter, and
workload of farming, collecting water,
textile industry, and soon had options
one indication is that the village is
running the household, and taking care
to indigo blue, which had been the only
now sending 15 students to university,
of the children, who typically could
natural dye available before. Another
something they only ever dreamed
not attend school because they were
component was training in business
about in the past.
needed to work in the fields.
management and basic marketing.
To O x fam , anoth e r su cce s s i s
Yen Thanh women are skilled
The two-year project has long since
that a traditional custom has been
weavers, and in 1996, a two -year
finished. Through the experience of
preser ved, with the assistance of
project was launched in the village
interacting with tourists who visited
modern technology such as sewing
to rejuvenate the Tho Cam tradition
Yen Thanh to learn more about ethnic
machines, and with current business
that had gone dormant. Tho Cam is a
minority cultures and to purchase
and marketing strategies, too.
particular kind of weaving that uses
handicrafts directly in the village, the
colourful threads on a small loom, and
Thai women built up a business network
Thanh Ha is a social affairs and development journalist with Vietnam Post, a Vietnameselanguage newspaper.
the project focus would be primarily
with the travel companies which
Photos by Oxfam Hong Kong
with the poorest women, who needed
arranged the tours. Over the years,
the income the most.
the women have developed a client
for their local communities. Nowadays,
their homes and livelihoods in the face
when Chuong is in front of his amplifier
of floods has improved drastically.
in Ha Loc, he might be delivering news
For instance, during the flood season,
on a storm ahead and how best to
more people are choosing fish farming
prepare for it, or maybe the current
over land cultivation, as the risks are
prices for crops. He makes sure that he
considerably lower.
uses words that are easy to understand
In addition to the better com-
and applicable to the local context.
munications s ys tem and farming
People listen to Chuong. On top of the
alternatives, some of the residents in
radio work, he is also the village chief.
Ha Loc now have new small mezzanine
When the O Giang River flooded
floors in their homes. In the past, no one
recently, for example, families living at
in the village had these floors, or even
the water’s edge received very specific
heard of them. Nowadays, the people
information from the broadcasts. They
see the concrete floors as a huge help.
knew the exact water level, and not
When floods are forecast, villagers
just by a number, as Chuong made
can easily move their grain and other
Village Radio and the Mezzanine Floor
sure that the most at-risk families were
goods up away from the rising water,
made aware of the changing situation.
and if need be, the family can also take
“The Phuong family need to prepare,”
shelter there. People feel so much more
he would say, and “the Xuy’s need to
secure. (Oxfam Hong Kong is working
By Viet Thuong
be ready if the rains continue” and
alongside the Vietnam Red Cross in this
so forth.
phase of the project.)
Truong Dang Chuong may be seen as a small-town, or in this case, small-village
entire harvest was lost and everyone
coastal waters being too rough during
The warning system reaches every
Four co mmune s are curre ntly
went hungry.
storms have no meaning for a rice
home in Ha Loc, the army is on standby
benefiting from these projects, but the
farmer in the mountains. People in Ha
to help people evacuate if necessary,
authorities plan to extend the model for
Loc had no disaster prevention plan.
and new regulations require each
the entire district, and perhaps even the whole province of Quang Tri.
journalist. He lives in the mountains of
In the past, news bulletins warning
Quang Tri, a province in the central
people about floods and other disasters
highlands, where he manages the local
were delivered by the provincial
Chuong was one of 40 people who
family to keep a seven-day reserve of
radio station.
authorities during the rainy season, and
completed communication workshops
food, water, fuel and a back-up light
His small village of Ha Loc, with
then in turn to districts and communes,
suppor ted by Ox fam Hong Kong.
source. The community of Ha Loc has
about 500 residents, frequently floods.
but not to the small villages like Ha Loc.
In particular, they learned skills in
also adopted the slogan ‘a little bit
People there have experienced many
The bulletins were lengthy and rather
editing: how to take the district and
of prevention is better than a lot of
devastating ones, like in 1989, when
general, and often irrelevant to life in
provincial news bulletins and extract
relief aid’, and it seems to be working.
two people died and in 1999, when the
remote areas. For instance, alerts about
the information relevant and useful
People’s awareness of how to protect
TOGETHER FOR CHANGE Overcoming colonialism, surviving a
to the flow of refugees and economic
long, debilitating war with the United
migrants must include supporting socio-
Vietnam and China share many
States, and coping with frequent natural
economic development within Vietnam
common charac teris tic s , socially,
disasters, the people and government
itself. Initial projects in the country
economically and politically, and Oxfam
of Vietnam have nonetheless created
from 1988 focused on agriculture and
Hong Kong supports exchange visits
better conditions for the development
income, such as irrigation, forestry,
every year between its programmes in
of their country over the past twenty
landmine awareness, and drinking
these countries, as well as among other
years.
water systems in several provinces, such
countries across Asia. Oxfam Hong
Significant socio-economic advances
as Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Nghe An, Quang
Kong is one of the thirteen members
occurred after 1986, when Vietnam
Binh, Quang Tri and Thanh Hoa. In
of Oxfam International, with anti-
b e gan to intro du ce d oi m oi , o r
1993, permission was granted for the
poverty programmes in more than 100
liberalisation, in many sectors. This
agency to open an office in Hanoi, and
countries.
included the NGO sector. Two years
projects extended to Lang Son, where
This small book of 20 stories is just
later, in 1988, Oxfam Hong Kong began
women were supported to develop
a glimpse of Oxfam’s work. By bringing
working in the country, primarily with
their handicrafts. Since 1997, Oxfam’s
together these stories, we hope to
farmers and their families, and primarily
approach has been to concentrate and
enable readers to learn more about
in remote areas where poverty is the
integrate work in Ha Tinh, Nghe An and
the lives of people facing poverty, as
most severe.
Viet Thuong is a journalist working for Tuoi Tre, a daily newspaper for youth published in Vietnamese. He is based in Quang Tri. Photo by Quoc Tuan.
By John Sayer
of over US$21 million in 30 countries.
Quang Tri, with a priority to assist ethnic
we ourselves have been learning as we
Although the national pover ty
minorities and women. This sustainable
reflect on our experiences during the
rate fell from over 70 per cent in the
community development work includes
process of creating this book.
mid-1980s to about 16 per cent in
preparing people to cope with natural
Please listen to the voices of poor
2007, poverty remains an everyday
disasters, while humanitarian response
people living in remote regions of
reality among many of ethnic minority
work continues nationwide when
Vietnam; sense how they have enabled
people who tend to live in the inland,
disaster strikes.
themselves to build a better, fairer life.
mountainous regions of the country. As
In the past 20 years, Oxfam Hong
Please listen to the voices of members
Vietnam develops, the gaps between
Kong has supported over 450 projects
of community groups, people who
rich and poor people, between urban
in 936 communities, directly benefiting
have been essential and important
and rural populations, and between
more than 800,000 poor people. Another
driving forces in effecting change. The
the Kinh and ethnic minorities are all
arm of Oxfam’s work includes policy
voices may be of an ethnic minority
widening.
research, campaigning and advocacy
farmer, a woman who has had access
Nguyen Cao Cuong
In the 1980s, Oxfam Hong Kong released three reports on the injustices facing people from Vietnam in Hong Kong. The first report was published in full by the South China Morning Post on 7 May 1986.
Together for Change (in Vietnamese) marks Oxfam Hong Kong's 20th year of working in Vietnam. Preface by John Sayer.
Oxfam Hong Kong’s work with
seeking high level, international policy
to a loan for the first time, a women’s
Vietnamese people actually began in
change on such issues as landmines
union leader, a government official, a
visits to Vietnam since the 1990s,
others in the country. We thank them
the mid 1970s in Hong Kong, where
and fair trade rules. Today, Vietnam
village journalist, a community worker,
and I look forward to the day when
for having confidence in us, as we
the agency is based. In the 1970s and
remains one of Oxfam Hong Kong’s
an Oxfam colleague…. They all have
absolute poverty can be eradicated in
believe in them, and we hope readers
80s, over 100,000 Vietnamese arrived
largest country programmes (second
something in common: strength and
the country.
of this book can sense this trust that
in Hong Kong by boat, and Oxfam not
only to China) in terms of financial
passion for change.
only helped secure better conditions
commitments and human resources: in
I myself have been moved by the
can emphatically say that we are proud
for them while they lived here, but also
2007/08, the agency contributed over
significant improvement in the lives
to be in partnership with the people
realised that an integrated response
US$3.3 million in Vietnam, out of a total
of poor people through my several
featured in this book and thousands of
On behalf of Oxfam Hong Kong, I
underlies this partnership. John Sayer is the Director General of Oxfam Hong Kong
A global petition against climate change: http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/climatechange
OXFAM BOOKS From Poverty to Power With up-to-date research, human stories, statistics, and compelling arguments, this 540 -page book from Oxfam International presents the causes and effects of poverty and inequality, the massive human and economic costs, and many realistic solutions. • Written by Duncan Green, head of research at Oxfam Great Britain
Hot City, Dry Field by Lau Gukzik and Zhang Zhi-rong
• Foreword by Amartya Sen, economist, and Honorary Advisor, Oxfam International
She describes herself as a ‘painting
Gukzik says, “I was very moved by the
Bangladesh), and higher sea-levels (all
writer’ and uses the penname ‘Gukzik’,
drawing of 12-year-old Zhang Zhi-rong, a
around the world). Who is responsible for
• In English, with summaries available
which translates as ‘collecting colours’.
quiet student in Jingyuan, Gansu. Cracked
these emissions? It is primarily the people
in French, Portuguese and Spanish
When the artist and educator from Hong
soil is framed in the Chinese character for
living in wealthier, industrialised societies
Kong traveled to Gansu, one of the poorest
‘field’ or ‘farmland’, and around it are bare
of the world, including in Hong Kong.
parts in all of China, she inspired dozens of
trees and stones: a dry Earth floating in
“I feel a big responsibility in participating
children there to reflect on their drought-
a blue cosmos. When I returned to Hong
in Oxfam International’s Canvas for Change
stricken lives hard hit by climate change,
Kong, I felt the urge to echo. I duplicated
project: Hot City, Dry Field will go to the
Download the whole book at:
and to colour the future. She asked primary
his original drawing, and paired it with my
UN Climate Change Conference in Poland
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/
school students to put a chocolate ball in
melting landscape of skyscrapers along
this month. Will the canvases (1.2m x 1.8m)
resources/fp2p/about.html
their mouths, to imagine it as Earth, and
Victoria Harbour that is framed in a similar
really speak to some of the world’s key
that their body temperature was melting
structure as Zhi-rong’s. The time of day is
decision-makers in this climate crisis? Will
OXFAM in the NEWS
the world away. She then led them to
8p.m., when every night in Hong Kong,
they really speak adequately for the people I met in Gansu who struggle every day?
• Published by Oxfam International • June, 2008 • ISBN 978-0-85598-593-6
Harmonious TEEN Sky Four teenagers of South Asian descent talk about their
Collecting Colours, for Change
experiences of living in Hong Ko n g o n M e t ro R a d i o, FM 99.7, every Saturday until 13 December. UNISON, an organisation that works for ethnic minority rights
draw what Gansu, and the globe, was
in Hong Kong, has facilitated this
experiencing in climate change: 35 of the
there is a huge and wasteful display: lights
52 children expressed a wish for rain.
blink, colours flash, and beams extend
“I join Oxfam Hong Kong in their ‘Stop
Water is scarce in Gansu. Lakes are
from high-rises all the way across the sea.
Poverty! Stop Climate Change!’ campaign:
drying up. Rainfall has decreased. People
Through the pair of canvases which I title
www.oxfam.org.hk/climatechange. I ask
need to dig as far down as 100 meters
Hot City, Dry Field, I want to remind people
you to join, too.”
to find water. Maize is shorter, plums
that the wealth we enjoy today has come at
are smaller, sunflowers hang their heads.
a price, a price that the people in Gansu and
Farmers in Gansu, as anywhere, are hugely
other poor communities are paying.
Gukzik Lau has exhibited in the UK, USA, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and Hong Kong, and her art is in numerous private and public collections worldwide. Trained as a printmaker, she currently uses modern printing machines, such as the offset printer, photocopier, fax machine and digital output. She teaches at the Hong Kong Art School and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
radio show called Harmonious TEEN Sky. Radio DJ Meggie will be in te r v i e w in g Ke ra n H aya t , Hardeep Singh, Samira Bibi and Sungsanga Jutharat, as well as other guests in issues facing ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. UNISON has been supported by Oxfam Hong Kong. UNISON (852) 2789 3236, www.unison.org.hk
dependent on rainfall for their living, and
“Is it too hot, or too rich? Increasing
they need to be able to ‘read’ the weather,
emissions of greenhouse gases has raised
but with the unpredictable, changing
the earth’s average temperature to such
climate, they cannot. Instead, sandstorms
an extent that we now experience extreme
Oxfam Hong Kong publishes this
are the norm and deserts are encroaching
weather conditions: more drought (like
bi-monthly magazine in Traditional
their farmland.
in Gansu), warmer winters (like in Hong
Chinese. Mokung, which means both
Kong), more storms (like in Myanmar and
“no poverty” and “infinity”, highlights
Oxfam acknowledges the support of Fingerprint Ltd, Wong San Mun and Tin Lai Man.
MOKUNG
a different aspect of development in each issue. The Editor is Tung Tsz-kwan. The current edition looks at food and Zhang Zhi-rong and his artwork
inflation in Hong Kong. The next edition will focus on Climate Change. To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/?lang=big5 Mokung is online at www.oxfam.org.hk/public/ contents/category?cid=1017&lang=big5
ONE O. N . E – O x fam N ew s Emagazine – is uploaded monthly at www.oxfam.org.hk/one. To receive a copy in your inbox, please subscribe – it is
Zhang Zhi-rong (middle row, far left) and his classmates and teacher in Gansu - Lau Gukzik at far
free. To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/one/subscribe.html
Every day, Oxfam Hong Kong works
bodies, from government departments of developing countries to community groups
GUANGXI • Ethnic Minority Affairs Bureau of
world, from small NGOs to international
NewPartnerOrganisations
BEIJING •16-Day Anti-Violence against Women
Campaign Coordination Group • Department of Sociology, College of Humanity and Development, China Agriculture University • Villages and Towns Construction Forum
alongside hundreds of groups around the
Hong Kong
organisations’ that we are supporting for
Ningming County • Ethnic Minority Affairs Bureau of Shangzi County • Ethnic Affairs Commission of Nanning City
www.oxfam.org.hk
the first time.
GUIZHOU • Guizhou Association for Community
17th Floor, 28 Marble Road, Northpoint, Hong Kong
based in Hong Kong. Here are 10 ‘partner
Construction and Rural Governance
YUNNAN • Civil Affairs Department of Xundian
County • Dongchuan County Poverty Alleviation Office • Kunming International Non-Government Organization Society
O. N .E is also on-line: www.oxfam.org.hk/one Editor: Madeleine Marie Slavick (emagazine@oxfam.org.hk)
COVER: Children in Xop Chao, Nghe An / Aidan B. Dockery
OXFAM ACTION