In spite of several years of strong economic growth in Vietnam, around a fifth of the population is still living below the poverty line. Vietnam thus still has a great need for improvements in areas such as equality, education, health care, water supply, sanitary conditions, the environment and sustainable use of the country’s natural resources.

Vietnam is in a high-risk area for cyclones and tropical hurricanes, and CARE’s projects have therefore trained local communities and local organisations in disaster prevention and assisted in the establishment of mangrove plantations to ward off the worst impacts of the increasing number of cyclones that rage in the region.