SUDECOM’s model hornored by VUSTA at “2016 Networking Event for the Cooperation and Development”

This model is one among a number of initiatives funded by Bread for the World and implemented by SUDECOM with the aim of reducing enviromental pollution, improving the quality of life for poor ethnic minorities households in Yen Bai province.

Through the community development and the improvement of the life quality of ethnic minorities program in Yen Bai, SUDECOM has implemented a model of a non-smoke & firewood saving stove in Viet Cuong commune, Tran Yen district, Yen Bai Province. In the 2 phases of the project (2009 - 2015), SUDECOM trained technique of build the stove for 40 householders. The training method is focused on practice, so after the training, the trainees build the stove by themselves for their house and their neighbors. At the same time, the project invested in materials such as brick, sand, cement, iron and chimney to build 60 stoves for 60 households in four villages: Khe Chanh, Dong Thieu, Quyet Tien, Dong Phu of Viet Cuong commune.

As a result, 97% of households using firewood fireplaces has reduced from 30% to 50% of fuelwood from firewood, reduced from 35% to 50% of wood colleting labour or the cost of firewood equivalent to VND 100,000 - VND200,000/ month for small users, VND400,000 - VND600,000/ household/ month for large users. Up to now, the stove model has spread to 14 villages with about 400 households using this model of firewood stove in Viet Cuong commune, Tran Yen district.

The most remarkable outcome from this project is that, not only the lives of direct beneficiaries have been significantly improved but also local government authorities at both commune and district levels have recognized the impacts of this model and committed to replicate it to other non-projected communes and mainstreamed into the district's Socio-economic Development Plan of 2017, which "contributing to the process of socio-economic development and economic integration of Vietnam as a nation", emphasized Prof. Dr. Nghiem Vu Khai, Vice President of VUSTA.