Promoting Intergenerational Approaches to Improve the Well-being of Disadvantaged Groups in Vietnam

It’s an objective of the project “Promoting Intergenerational Approaches to Improve the Well-being of disadvantaged groups in Vietnam” (VIE 014)to be implemented by the Vietnam Women’s Union in cooperation with the Vietnam Association of the Elderly (VAE), Thai Nguyen Medical College (TNMC), Research Center for Ageing Support (RECAS) and STD, HIV/AIDS Prevention Center of Thai Nguyen Women’s Union funded by European Commission through Help Age International (HAI).

According to the General Census in 1999, the number of older people (over 60 years old) in the whole country is 6.136.399 making 8.04% of the population, among them older women accounting for 58,88%...The percentage of older people in 2024 will be 12,7%.With longer life expectancy and economic growth, the material and spiritual life of older people are improving remarkablely. However, there are, in practice, many older people, especially women in rural areas and ethnic minorities groups facing with poverty and unproper health care. In addition, epidemic diseased, especially HIV/AIDS, negative impacts of market mechanism, environmental pollution... make the situation of the disadvantaged groups even worse. Therefore, it is necessary to care for the older people and promote the older people in general and for the old women in particular. The project “Promoting Intergenerational Approaches to Improve the Well-being of Disadvantaged Groups in Vietnam” will response to the needs of building a model to socialize the care for the older people and promoting their role in a sustainable way.

This project will be implemented in 60 communities in Thai Nguyen City, Phu Binh and Phu Luong districts of Thai Nguyen province and is expected to benefit directly 41.280 people in these communities and 120.000 people in the whole province. The major focus of the project will be improving health status and livelihoods of the targeted communities. Members of Intergenerational Self Help Clubs will be supported with training and material assistance to develop income-generation activities. The project will promote community led self care and home care practices, with regards to disease prevention and awareness o­n HIV/AIDS prevention. There will also be work to facilitate increased access to government health insurance and sources of credit. Older people will be at forefront of these activities.

In the opening speech at the Project Launching Ceremony in the morning of 9 May 2007 at VWU Headquarter, Vice President Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy highlighted the importance of the project that will contribute to reducing poverty and improving the quality of life and well being of the most disadvantaged groups in Vietnam as well as promoting the collaboration between the civil society organizations and the Government in order to settle the issues of the older people according to economic situation, socio- cultural character of Vietnam. Vice President Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy also thanked the cooperation and active support reserved by European Commission, Help Age International and partner organizations for the Vietnam Women’s Union in this project.

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                                  Translated by International Cooperation Dept.