5,000 people assisted to cope with severe drought

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

As the third week of July ended, so did the distribution of much-needed water to 1,250 households in two drought-affected districts of Binh Thuan province, namely Ham Thuan Bac and Bac Binh. The distribution included 20,000 twenty-litre water bottles and 1,250 water tanks with 1,000-litre capacity.

The relief items were sponsored by UNDP with a grant package of almost US$150,000 that was entrusted to World Vision in early June. Up to 5,000 adults and children now have a clean water supply for the next 40 days until there is a positive sign of better weather conditions.

“I have to fetch water from the stream every day for drinking and cooking. I have no vehicle at home, so I would walk the entire distance unless a neighbor offers to give me a ride. I’m thankful to the project now that my kids and I have clean drinking water and my kids don’t have to suffer from belly ache caused by drinking stream water,” shared Seo, a villager at Phan Thanh commune, Bac Binh district.

Before the distribution, many people had to resort to polluted sources of water for their daily needs, which caused diarrhoea, eye infections, and dermatitis.

“We’re seeking additional funding opportunities to leverage our support to people in needs of food aid, hygienic water supply facilities and early economic recovery in Binh Thuan and Dak Nong provinces,” said Le Van Duong, World Vision’s National Coordinator of Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs in Vietnam.