Ca Mau, 15th August 2024 — The Government of Viet Nam and UNDP handed over the resilient houses to the local poor and near-poor families, marking a critical step forward in enhancing their protection against the impacts of climate change. These homes, designed to withstand the effects of floods, storms, and disasters, are the result of a collaborative effort between UNDP, the Green Climate Fund, the Dike and Disaster Management Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Housing Management and Real Estate of the Ministry of Construction, the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, and local agencies.

The handover ceremony, held in Khanh Lam Commune, U Minh District, was attended by key representatives from the Provincial People's Committee of Ca Mau, local authorities, and beneficiaries.

Mr. Le Van Su, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ca Mau province, said that “the people in coastal communes still have to cope with storms, high tides, and harsh climate change conditions every year. Support from the project has helped many poor households in the province have resilient houses. With a coastline of 254 km and 41 coastal and near-coastal communes and towns, Ca Mau still has many poor households who do not have houses and do not have enough conditions to support house construction. Therefore, Ca Mau hopes that central ministries, branches, and donors will continue to accompany the province to help poor households stabilize their lives, be safe from natural disasters, and escape poverty.”

Ms. Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam, highlighted the importance of these homes: "Housing is the single most significant asset we own, making the construction of resilient homes a cornerstone of the adaptive capacity of households in Viet Nam’s coastal zones. UNDP has been committed to supporting the construction and reconstruction of homes for vulnerable families, with a particular focus on those who are poor, women-headed, or elderly."

On behalf of the beneficiary households, Ms. Nguyen Thi Het, emotionally shared that her family's circumstances were very difficult, and she did not have the means to build a house. "With the support of the project and the province, the dream of having a house to settle down and make a living has come true, giving her peace of mind to work, develop her family's economy, and escape poverty."

Ms. Doan Thi Tuyet Nga, Head of International Cooperation and Science and Technology, the Dike and Disaster Management Authority, Deputy National Director of the Project, spoke about the positive impact of the project: “This project has brought hope and peace of mind to more than 5,000 poor households through support for the construction of disaster-resistant houses. These houses are invaluable assets for poor households. We propose building a new project to promote these good practices and continue to study the coordination mechanism to mobilize international and other resources to replicate and support the construction of storm- and flood-resistant houses for people and pilot implementation in coastal areas and the Mekong Delta”.

This initiative is vital to Viet Nam's efforts to boost resilience in coastal areas, ensuring that communities can thrive even with climate change. It is under the project "Improving the Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities to Climate Change-Related Impacts in Viet Nam."

For media inquiries, please contact:
Phan Huong Giang
CCE Media and Communications Analyst, UNDP Viet Nam
Email: phan.huong.giang@undp.org
Tel: 0948466688