Collaborating during Coronavirus – Testimonies from Vietnam

In response to the COVID19 outbreak, the Vietnamese government has applied social distancing measures throughout the country. This has consequently affected the lives of many, including persons with disabilities and their families. Social distancing has proven to be a major problem for many poor people like Ly – it has directly translated to lack of work, money, and food. And people with disabilities and their families are usually among the poorest of the poor.

Thanks to a long-term partnership and strong collaboration between CBM, local DPOs and our partner ‘Aid for social protection program foundation Vietnam (AFV), we were able to quickly conduct an effective needs assessment to identify risks and needs of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, as well as ethnic minority groups.

In Vietnam’s Nho Quan district, AFV and CBM’s primary goal was to save poor people from starvation. We were quick to launch a relief campaign for people with disabilities and their families, poor households as well as elderly people living alone in Ngo Quan. The relief kits included food items such as bags of rice, cooking oil, canned fish, fish sauce and milk), as well as protective hygiene items like hand sanitizers, masks, mouthwash, soap etc.