Vietnam

The Facts

• The population is 80 million.
• Average life expectancy is 69 years.
• 37% of children under 5 are malnourished.
• Up to 76% of people living in rural areas do not have access to safe water.

Vietnam shares a border with China in the north and Laos and Cambodia in the west. It has a monsoon climate which is characterised by four distinct seasons with high humidity. Occasional typhoons result in extensive flooding in the middle regions of Vietnam.

In recent times, Vietnam has had to recover from years of war and the loss of financial support from the old Soviet bloc. The move towards a market based economy has brought increased opportunities, particularly in relation to work. However, it has also meant that goods and services previously provided by the state, like seeds and agricultural tools, education and healthcare are increasingly provided through the market and are therefore beyond the reach of poor people. Much of the population still lives in extreme poverty.  

ActionAid in Vietnam

ActionAid International began operating in Vietnam in 1989 and works mainly in remote rural areas, where the majority of poor people live.

Our programme work focusses on

• A women’s rights programme that aims to increase awareness of women’s rights, reduce the incidence of trafficking of women and children and of violence against women.
  
• An education programme to
• Improve the quality of education
• Improve access to education for children from ethnic minority groups
• Support literacy classes and learning for community development among resettled communities.
• ActionAid’s programmes also include health, livelihoods and water initiatives.

Related research and publications

Vietnam country report (PDF)