Disaster Management

Viet Nam is vulnerable to a range of natural disasters such as floods, typhoons, droughts, erosion, seawater intrusion, and inundation.

Oxfam and its partners are deployed to assess the needs of people affected by disasters. We focus on meeting immediate needs such as water and sanitation and hygiene education. For example, in response to a drought in Ninh Thuan Province, Oxfam and its partners provided cash grants to nearly 3,000 families and created temporary jobs for 500 people so that communities could buy food to make up for their failing crops. In addition, Oxfam worked with communities to help build water facilities, providing water to more than 20,000 people.

Oxfam is working with the Department of Planning and Investment in Dong Thap and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Tien Giang to increase the understanding of different types of disasters and assist flood-affected communities to know how to cope and live with floods. By June 2010, the project will benefit about 280,000 people. Oxfam introduces community based disaster management and encourages the integration of disaster management into ongoing development activities.

Oxfam also focuses on improving the co-ordination and flow of information among disaster management agencies, international non government organisations, and committees at all levels. Nationwide, Oxfam and partners practice and advocate for the use of SPHERE standards, the humanitarian standards in disaster response.

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Last updated: August 06