A Working Woman Once Again

It is Friday now and I have completed my first official week back to work and I have to say that I am thrilled to be working again. My new schedule is 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. My new office is about a 15 minute drive from our house, although after dropping Steven off at school, it is more of a 25 minute commute.

The office, as many businesses in the city, is housed in a residential house, with a reception area, dining room/admin office and a kitchen on the ground floor and a winding staircase up through three floors where bedrooms have been converted into offices, each with its own bathroom. I share an office with Ngoc, the program manager, a young social worker who is a pleasure to work with. Across from our office is Pho Duan, the head researcher, in an office of his own. And at the top is Caroline, the French Head-of-Mission who is funny, driven and inspiring and, who I believe, will be a great person to work with and learn from.

I spent most of my first week going through various organizational and project documents and putting everything together in more comprehensive drafts that will serve as VeT's "face" to donors and the public. The basic project structure is as follows: VeT is approached by local government representatives in regards to an urban area with poor infrastructure and a population of low-income or impoverished residents. VeT then visits the area and, if it fits within the scope of their work, they contract with another organization to perform a Socio-Economic Survey/Needs Assessment on the area taking into account the financial situations of the local families, their awareness of environmental issues, the local housing stock and the local infrastructure. Both the perspectives of residents and local government authorities are taken into account in terms of the scope and specifics of the problems to be addressed as well as proposed solutions. An initial agreement is then drafted between VeT and the local authority, determining each partner’s participation and establishing a basic project framework contingent on funding for the project. Then comes the fundraising.

Once, and if, sufficient funds are able to be raised, an official agreement between all project partners, including local beneficiaries, is drafted, detailing the importance of participation and commitment by all parties, including a financial commitment on the part of the local government. Once the agreement is signed and accepted by higher authorities the work can begin.

Many of VeT's projects include the improvement of or installation of local infrastructure including alley ways, drainage systems, fresh water networks, sewer systems as well as assistance with the improvement of local housing stock. Residents are often encouraged, if not required in the contract, to assist with such projects, most commonly their own homes, to grant them a sense of ownership in the project and, for some, give them temporary employment.

In tandem with the physical improvements, local families are offered financial assistance either for income generating activities or for home improvement in the form of micro-loans. The micro-loan program provides small loans to groups of individuals who are then responsible for keeping each other on top of the repayment of the loans. Once a small initial loan is repaid, families can borrow larger loans.

Throughout the projects, VeT provides capacity-building trainings to local residents and local government officials in the areas of Project Management and Micro-Lending as well as more hands on training in respect to new utility systems, if necessary. At the end of the project cycle - typically three years - the project area should be in better shape environmentally (less flooding, less pollution by wastewater, improved housing stock, more environmentally aware populace, etc.) and financially, with residents more able to save and earn enough to support their families. VeT has done a lot of great work in its 14 years in Viet Nam and I am looking forward to learning more and being a part of it.

Now we just have to figure out how to get dinner on the table at a reasonable hour with both of us working!