Safe Mobility Through Renewable Energy

Background

The project "Safe Mobility Through Renewable Energy in 5 remote villages of Northern Vietnam" aims to increase the safe mobility for mountainous ethnic minorities, particularly for women and children in Luc Yen district and also promote access to clean energy, renewable energy (solar energy).

The 5 targeted communes are among the poorest communes in the Luc Yen district and face many challenges. The economic situation of these targeted communes is quite difficult: Local people have to work all day in their fields in mountainous area which are far from their homes, they heavily overworked and are underpaid. They often go to the field early in the morning and come back home late in the evening, on bad and dark roads. As their income is low, many families do not have enough food for their daily lives. Poor households have no money to ensure safe transportation for children to go to school or to learning centers.

In addition, access to health services for families is limited, especially at night. In case of an emergency at night, people meet many difficulties for moving to communal health stations or district, provincial hospitals. It usually takes more time for travelling in dark roads.

The state of the roads in the targeted area is very calamitous, especially during the rainy season. Damaged and dark roads hinder children's safety. The local people (including women and children) have to walk on these roads and experience many accidents and injuries (such as stumble and animal bite). Besides, there is high risk of suffering from being abused at night especially for girls/women.

Handover solar light to community in Trung Tam commune, Luc Yen District, Yen Bai Province.

Objectives

Increasing the safe mobility for mountainous ethnic minorities through a setup of solar light systems and bridge construction
Empowering the capacity of the Village Management Board in terms of project management
Reducing the risk of abuse and injury, especially for women and children

Activities

Installing 800 solar lights on village roads and Construct 3 bridges
Providing 250 bicycles to children living in poor households
Training to village management board on how to manage, operate, use and repair the system
Training/communication to local people on injury and abuse prevention including safe bicycling

Local communtiy joined hands in installing the solar lights in their communes.

Outcomes

850 sets of solar lights installed.
3 bridges completed construction in June, 2023.
Established one Project Management Board at the district level, 5 communal Project Management Boards, 27 village Management Boards (including technical supporters) in the 27 targeted villages.
Trained for 30 people (29 men, 1 woman) – members of Village Development Boards
250 vulnerable children (118 boys and 132 girls) from the 5 targeted communes were supported with bicycles.
Child club meetings on injury and abuse prevention have been implemented. 105 children (58 boys and 47 girls) from Trung Tam, Phuc Loi, and Khanh Thien communes participated in training courses on swimming, prevention of drowning injuries, and riding bicycles safely.

Donor

Duration

8 months (February 2023 – September 2023)

Location

Luc Yen district, Yen Bai province, Viet Nam. Particularly, 5 communes of Trung Tam, Phuc Loi, Dong Quan, Lam Thuong, Khanh Thien.

Budget

90,860 USD

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries: 3,080 households including 9,600 adults (4,700 men; 4,900 women) and 5,800 children (2,900 boys; 2,900 girls) who are mainly ethnic minority households (Tay, Dzao).
Indirect beneficiaries: 2,600 households; 9,500 adults (4,650 men; 4,850 women) and 3,500 children (1,750 boys; 1,750 girls).

Supported bicycles for vulnerable children from the 5 targeted communes.