Community Journeys Bring Positive Change to Local Areas

The project's organizing committee awarded prizes to 6 outstanding authors whose projects were funded for implementation. *Photo: Hien Nguyen*

The “Changemakers” project is a creative community development model, implemented in 6 locations in Son Duong district (former Tuyen Quang province), Quang Binh district (former Ha Giang province), Mai Chau district - Tan Lac district and Hoa Binh city (former Hoa Binh province) and Vinh Loc district (Thanh Hoa province). Accordingly, the project encourages people to identify local social problems and propose practical solutions, thereby forming highly applicable community initiatives.

After more than a month of launching, the project has attracted more than 50 entries from 31 communes, which mentioned the issues: Environment, education, infrastructure and life. The best initiatives have been implemented in practice. These are: Drilling water wells at the cultural house (former Hoa Binh city - now Thinh Minh commune, Phu Tho province); the project "Lighting up the flower street" (in Mai Chau district, former Hoa Binh province - now Bao La commune, Phu Tho province) installing 35 solar lights to help light up the roads in the hamlet; building 12 waste collection points; planting 200 flowers of various kinds and building an on-site incinerator; installing a lighting system for a road longer than 2km (in Tan Lac district, former Hoa Binh province - now Toan Thang commune, Phu Tho province); building a community playground (Son Duong district, former Tuyen Quang province - now Son Thuy commune, Tuyen Quang province); wastewater treatment and environmental sanitation in residential areas (in Vinh Loc district, former Thanh Hoa province - now in Tay Do commune, Thanh Hoa province)...

The organizers took a souvenir photo with the project team from Quang Binh district, Ha Giang province (old). *Photo: Hien Nguyen*

Through the project implementation, 92.4% of people directly participated in community activities; 84.9% of people had their awareness of social issues raised; 99% of people benefited from the project; works such as clean water supply system, rural road lighting, community playgrounds and wastewater treatment system were significantly improved.

The project closing ceremony is an opportunity for the author groups to share the implementation process in practice, and at the same time, it is also an opportunity to honor the most sustainable projects that have contributed to thoroughly solving local problems; recognizing the strong spillover effects when people proactively replicate the model, contribute financially and labor to maintain the works after the project ends.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/hanh-trinh-cong-dong-mang-den-nhung-thay-doi-timch-cuc-tai-dia-phuong-710760.html