From Devastation to Hope: Bắc's Story

After typhoon Yagi hit large parts of Viet Nam in September 2024, World Vision International began supporting the community in northern Yen Bai province with humanitarian funding from the European Union. Thanks to the initiative, Bắc and his sister had the opportunity to access this critical assistance.

 

Bắc and his sister, Giang, have managed to recover after the ordeal of Typhoon Yagi.

Photo: World Vision International in Viet Nam

 

Bắc is in grade 9. He lives with his parents, grandparents, and younger sister. People in the village where they live are mainly the ethnic minority who make a living through farming. The family lived in a small house in Yen Bai before typhoon Yagi hit their home.

The typhoon turned their world upside down, transforming their stilt house watery ruins as floodwaters surged up to the first floor. In the chaos, their cherished belongings were swept away, leaving them with only memories of what once was.

The land behind Bắc's house gave way, causing a landslide that buried part of the rear of their home. Trapped by the floodwaters in the dead of night, Bắc's family was unable to save their possessions. This led to devastating losses.

The storm deeply scarred Bắc, both emotionally and psychologically. His parents said that the trauma took a toll on his schoolwork, with his grades plummeting and his nights filled with terror, as he frequently woke up screaming in panic.

 

Thanks to the EU-funded programme, World Vision International in Viet Nam was able to step in to provide timely psychological counselling to the most affected children and adults.

 

Additionally, World Vision International in Viet Nam’s collaborators conducted surveys to understand children's psychology post-storm and listened to their thoughts and wishes. They also encouraged the children to share their feelings with their parents, and provided guidance to parents on methods to communicate more effectively with their children. As a result, the community is stably recovering after the storm.

 

Bắc's family received 3,500,000 Vietnamese dongs (around EUR 126), which served as a lifeline

to help them cover essential expenses after the typhoon's devastation.

 

"After the storm, I felt like I had lost a part of myself, but thanks to the support from World Vision International in Viet Nam and their collaborators, I learned to express my sorrow and rediscover the joy in life. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.", said Bắc.

 

Now, Bắc's nights are no longer haunted by panic, and his academic performance has rebounded, allowing him to keep pace with his classmates. The assistance has been crucial in helping children like Bắc navigate their challenges, underscoring the vital role of psychological care in crisis situations.

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From October 2024, EU humanitarian aid and the consortium consisting of World Vision, CARE, and Plan International join hands to carry out humanitarian assistance responses to typhoon Yagi under the “Supporting Humanitarian Response and Early Recovery in the Aftermath of Typhoon Yagi in Viet Nam” project. Together, the consortium aims to improve access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as enhance safe and inclusive learning for children to return to school and support vulnerable households in meeting daily subsistence and immediate needs through multi-purpose cash transfers. Besides that, the project also provides support services to children and women affected by abuse and violence; also reduces post-disaster child abuse and violence and gender-based violence risks for women, girls, and other vulnerable groups; and connects them to referral pathways in schools and communities.