- A recent survey revealed that 9% of poor households in Vinh Yen, Viet Nam do not have a toilet, and about 20% of families still use unhygienic latrines that pollute the environment.
- ADB, through its Green Cities Development Project, helps improve public health and clean the environment - a priority of the government in the city of Vinh Yen, Viet Nam.
- 616 families in Vinh Yen, Viet Nam now have clean water toilets. Funded by the Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund, supported by Rockefeller Foundation, Switzerland, and the UK Government.
Vinh Yen is a small satellite city in the Greater Ha Noi cluster. Because of its location near the Vietnamese capital, Vinh Yen is experiencing rapid economic growth. However, as the city develops it faces the challenge of improving the quality of life of its citizens. A recent sanitation survey revealed that 9 % of poor households do not have a toilet, and about 20% of families are still using old-style unhygienic latrines that pollute the environment. A priority for the government is to improve sanitation for public health and clean up the environment through the Green Cities Development Project, financed by a loan from the Asian Development Bank. The project supported 616 poor and disadvantaged families to build new toilets or upgrade old latrines, and connect household sanitation to the city's wastewater collection system.
Transcript
Narration 1:
Vinh Yen is a small satellite city in the greater Ha Noi cluster. Because of its strategic location near the Vietnamese capital, Vinh Yen is experiencing rapid economic growth led by investment in automobile manufacturing. However, as the city develops it faces the challenge of improving the quality of life of its citizens. A recent sanitation survey revealed that 9 % of poor households do not have a toilet, and about 20% of families are still using old-style unhygienic latrines that pollute the environment. A priority for the government is to improve sanitation for public health and clean up the environment through the Green Cities Development Project, financed by a loan from the Asian Development Bank
Nguyen Thi Duyen
Deputy Head, ADB Division
Vinh Phuc Project Management Unit
The goal of the sanitation fund is to support poor, near poor, and disadvantaged households under social protection to build new toilets or upgrade old latrines, and connect household sanitation to the city's wastewater collection system. This will help the city to create a cleaner, greener environment.
Narration 2:
616 poor and disadvantaged families have benefited from this community sanitation initiative which was funded by a grant from the Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund, with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Governments of Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Cúc, a 71-year-old widow, depends on her modest vegetable garden and a government pension of 38 Dollars per month to feed her family. She could not afford to build a proper toilet.
Nguyen Thi Cuc
Beneficiary
Dau Hamlet, Dinh Trung District
It is really difficult. Sometimes if we are not careful, our foot would slip into the hole. There's only one brick.
We cover the excreta with ashes, and then use it as fertilizer.
Having a toilet will make our life so much easier.
It will be more convenient.
We won’t need to pump water to wash our hands or take a bath.
It will be clean and we won’t need to store water outside.
Narration 3:
The new toilet for Duong Thi Hoa and her family was fully subsidized by the project. Her husband passed away years ago leaving her alone to support parents and two children on a meagre income from collecting scrap and odd jobs.
Duong Thi Hoa
Beneficiary
Trai Giao Hamlet, Khai Quang District
I have a leg disability since I was a child. My life has been miserable ever since.
I have two kids of school age. I never dreamed of building a toilet.
Now, thanks to this project, we have a toilet. We feel very happy.
Nguyen Thi Duyen (VPMO) visits beneficiary Duong Thi Hoa
(Nguyen) Good morning.
(Duong) Hi, please come in.
(Nguyen) I'm from the project management unit.
I know that you are one of the families benefiting from this project.
So, I have come here today to check your toilet to see if it’s finished and how it has been built.
Nguyen Thi Duyen
Deputy Head, ADB Division
Vinh Phuc Project Management Unit
People are very excited, very happy because their sanitation is much better.
An important indicator for the success of the project is that people's living standards have really improved.
