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Supporting Early Childhood Development for Viet Nam's Poor

HANOI, VIET NAM (26 March 2003) - ADB has approved a US$450,000 technical assistance (TA) grant to promote early childhood development in Viet Nam. The TA aims to improve understanding of the health, nutrition, childcare, and education needs of children from poor and vulnerable households and provide them with greater opportunity to reach their full human potential.

To achieve this, the TA will study early childhood development programs in eight selected poor provinces. Focusing on children aged six years and below, the TA will look into aspects such as health and nutrition, preschool education, disabilities and chronic conditions, household situation, as well as maternal health and knowledge of good practices.

It will then develop strategies for greater investment in early childhood development, and promote awareness of the issue as a key instrument in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty.

"Numerous studies have shown that low investment in the early years of children leads to reduced capacity to work, lower intellectual development, and limited motor and social skills," says Erik Bloom, an ADB Social Protection Specialist.

"In essence, children face the risk of being trapped in a vicious circle of poverty, as their parents cannot afford the necessary investment in human capital that they will need as adults to escape from poverty."

Viet Nam's economy has seen remarkable development in the past decade, resulting in significant poverty reduction and noticeable improvements in the human capital of the population.

But continued progress in poverty reduction requires more targeted and focused interventions aimed at improving the welfare of certain groups, particularly the poorest 30% of the population, that have not benefited from economic growth and social development.

ADB is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 63 members - 45 from the region. In 2003, it approved loans and technical assistance worth US$6.1 billion and US$177 million, respectively, of which $179 million in loans and $8.6 million in technical assistance were for Viet Nam.

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