After the Storm

Once every year, a rainy and stormy season comes, and the days of October 2020 were probably unforgettable for people in the central region in general and those in Quang Ngai Province in particular. The passing of a historic storm caused heavy damage to the people here.

I still remember as if it were yesterday. It was before the year 2020 ended that we came back there. The rains had already subsided, the flood had gradually receded, leaving there muddy roads and dilapidated houses. Quang Ngai Province had about 59,000 persons with disabilities and about 68,196 poor households, who were also most severely affected by the flood. At that time, ACDC made great efforts and concerns to find resources to support persons with disabilities and their families to overcome the damages. Eventually, the project "Disability inclusion in disaster response in Quang Ngai Province" was implemented to distribute emergency support packages. In the long term, the project would also enhance the ability to respond and adapt to disaster risks of persons with disabilities in the locality through some activities including training, providing disaster risk response equipment, and building model shelters ensuring access for persons with disabilities.

600 support packages were given out to households of persons with disabilities and disadvantaged people who had been severely affected by storms and floods in Hanh Duc and Hanh Nhan communes of Nghia Hanh District and Binh Hai and Binh Chau communes of Binh Son District. These were all localities heavily affected by storms and floods in Quang Ngai Province.

Photo: Mr. Tran Tuan Kiet, Chairman of Quang Ngai Province’s Organization of Persons with Disabilities, was representing the beneficiaries to receive the support packages, which was worth VND 850 million, from Ms. Vu Thi Tuyet Mai, Chief Representative of CBM Organization in Vietnam.

However, it was not easy to identify who the beneficiaries were so that no one was omitted or wrongly given. Take Binh Hai Commune as an example. Due to its coastal terrain, roads after the floods were inadequate for cars or motorbikes to commute. It was far more difficult for the beneficiaries to travel because of their health problems. However, the provincial Organization of Persons with Disabilities still enthusiastically supported the project team to go to every house of persons with disabilities on the list provided by the Commune Committee to ensure equality and the rights and interests of persons with disabilities.

Photo: An officer of the Quang Ngai Province’s Organization of Person with Disabilities was on his way to conduct a survey and make a list of beneficiaries in Binh Hai Commune.

With the enthusiasm, responsibility, and sympathy for those in difficult circumstances of all members involved in the project, things gradually progressed smoothly. The list of beneficiaries categorized into 2 levels of VND 3,500,000 and VND 1,000,000 was completed with the support of staff from the Division of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs. Each package was given to the right place, partly assisting the receivers to overcome the situation.

“We are in a very difficult situation. My parents were old and weak while I could do nothing but lie in bed. The last storm blew the roof off, my parents had to borrow money to repair the house so we did not have enough money for my medicine. But now receiving the support, we don't know what to say but thank you." said Do Thanh Vuong, a person with mobility impairment. Their happy smiles when leaving were clear evidence that the support package had given them more confidence and hope after days of struggling against the storm.

Photo: Persons with disabilities in Hanh Duc Commune were receiving support.

Among the beneficiaries, Vo Van Viet's family in Hanh Duc Commune was one of those who were most affected. Viet was a person with intellectual disability living in a poor household and did not have a stable job. His wife, Nguyet, had been the breadwinner of the family but she passed away in June 2020, leaving a young daughter who was still of school age. The financial burdens were placed heavily on him. The historic storm blew off the roof of the buffalo shed and killed the whole flock of chickens that was the only income source for the entire family. When visiting the family to assess the situation, we understood more clearly the severity of the disaster and its aftermath. Our hearts welled up with sadness at the thought of Viet just mumbling, talking, and gesturing to us to answer how he would use the allowance for food. VND 3,500,000 was not necessarily a large amount of money, but it did help his family partially meet the urgent needs.

The support packages were not only for persons with disabilities but also other disadvantaged people affected by the devastating aftermath of the storm and floods. Vo Ngoc Thuong in Ky Tho Bac village, Hanh Duc Commune is a lonely old man, belonging to a near-poor household. It was fortunate that he lived in a high place so his house did flood. However, the storm still destroyed the entire acacia tree, killed the chickens, and ripped off the roof. When we got there, he pointed to the newly-roofed roof and said to the project team: “After the storm, I had to re-roof it. I didn't have money, so I had to borrow money to do so. I'll pay the debt after receiving the support. Although it will not help me pay off debt, it's still a relief."

Photo: Thuong’s new house was repaired and reinforced with sandbags on the roof to hold it down.

In addition to serving daily their necessities such as food, medicine, and appliances, many households like Thuong's also used the support packages to repair their damaged houses or pay money they had borrowed to overcome the aftermath.

Our project team was really happy that the support packages helped people to overcome their difficulties and were also highly appreciated by local authorities. During the ceremony in Binh Chau Commune where the support packages were distributed, Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, Vice Chairman of Binh Chau Commune People's Committee, expressed his gratitude: “On behalf of Binh Chau Commune People's Committee, I would like to sincerely thank the valuable support and contribution of agencies and organizations to helping people of Binh Chau Commune to overcome this disaster.”

Photo: Representatives of the Department of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Ngai Province, Binh Chau Commune People's Committee, and the Provincial Organization of Persons with Disabilities were presenting the support packages.

The success of the project was made by the efforts and contributions of many individuals and organizations, including the Provincial Organization of Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs, the People's Committee, the Fatherland Front, and divisions of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs at the commune. More than anyone else, these agencies understood the local situation and the circumstances of each beneficiary. From the early days of planning, the People's Committees always offered constructive ideas to build the most suitable program and urged the implementation. When conducting the surveys, officials from the Labour Department and the Fatherland Front also participated to ensure the right selection of beneficiaries who really needed support.

A year has passed but during that time, our project team has been accompanying the Organization of Persons with Disabilities, the authorities, and persons with disabilities in Quang Ngai Province to raise their awareness and build shelters ensuring access for persons with disabilities. Another stormy season is coming again. Hopefully with the skills, equipment, and works supported by the project, persons with disabilities in particular and the people there in general can reduce damages caused by natural disasters and live peaceful lives!