USAID-funded emergency relief helps pandemic-affected people in central region

Representatives of local Red Cross Societies attend the ceremony to launch the USAID-funded emergency relief project. (Photo: VNA)

Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – An emergency relief project funded by the USAgency for International Development (USAID) was launched by the Vietnam RedCross Society in Thua Thien-Hue province on January 10, targeting people affected by the COVID-19 pandemicin Vietnam's central region.

The 1-million-USD project is carried out in 40 communes in 10central localities, namely Da Nang city and Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, QuangTri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provincesfrom now to April 2022, so as to help affected local residents soon overcome difficulties andstabilise their lives.

Accordingly, each locality selects four communes severely affectedby the pandemic, as well as floods in late 2020 to implement the project. It isexpected that over 12,000 poor and near-poor households with over 37,300 peoplewill benefit from the project.

The project will provide food coupons for the needy people and boost communications about hygiene and clean water to raise public awareness of the issues, thus helping to prevent and slow down the disease transmission.

Tran Sy Pha, Head of the Disaster Management Board ofthe Vietnam Red Cross Society's Central Committee, said that the project is of great significanceto people in the central region amid the pandemic outbreaks withthe appearance of new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

According to a recent survey by the Vietnam Red Cross Society, outof 509 interviewed households in 43 districts of the 10 central localities, 55percent lost incomes from farming or fishing, 28 percent lost revenue related tosmall business, 26 percent lost their jobs, and 23 percent saw reductions inworking hours. As a result, 82 percent of the households need cash or vouchers tomeet their main needs, and 49 percent need support to restore theirlivelihoods./.

VNA