Nearly 1,500 families in Lao Cai receive support to recover from tropical storm Yagi

On March 7-8, 2025, Oxfam and the Lao Cai Red Cross Chapter distributed cash assistance to nearly 1,500 households across five communes in Lao Cai province. Families in Coc Lau, Ban Cai, and Nam Luc communes in Bac Ha District, as well as Xuan Hoa and Xuan Thuong in Bao Yen District, received direct financial support to help them recover from the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Yagi.

This effort is part of the Yagi Storm Relief and Recovery Project, which aims to help affected communities gradually rebuild their lives. The project provides immediate assistance to those most in need while also supporting long-term recovery efforts in disaster-prone areas.

Each household received 3 million VND in cash to use according to their most urgent needs. Additional support of 1 million VND was provided to particularly vulnerable households, including those with pregnant women, children under two years old, or family members with disabilities. The selection process was conducted openly at the village level to ensure fairness and transparency, prioritizing families who suffered the greatest losses due to the storm, those in poverty or near-poverty, and those who had not yet received similar assistance from other sources.

For many families, this support is a crucial step toward recovery. Le Thi Nam, a resident of Bac Ha, shared her experience:

"The storm took away so much—we lost so many things, and life has been really tough. I run a small business and had just built a new house. It was almost finished when the storm hit. I was lucky to get out in time. Getting this support is such a relief. I plan to use it for essentials like rice, fish sauce, and daily expenses so my children can keep going to school."

Beyond the immediate financial assistance, this project will support disaster-struck families to rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen resilience. Vu Viet Truong, a representative from the Lao Cai Red Cross, highlighted the importance of this timely support:

"This assistance is more than just financial aid. It’s a message to the people that they are not alone in their struggle. It provides not only practical help but also the motivation to keep moving forward after such a difficult time."

The Yagi Storm Relief and Recovery Project is an initiative implemented by Oxfam in collaboration with provincial Red Cross chapters to assist disaster-affected communities in Lao Cai and Yen Bai. Running from September 2024 to September 2025, the project focuses on providing emergency relief, strengthening community resilience, and improving disaster preparedness for the future.

With a total budget of 28.6 billion VND (approximately 1.1 million USD), the project is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Canadian Government, and Oxfam International.

By working closely with local communities and ensuring transparent, needs-based support, this initiative is helping families in Lao Cai take their first steps toward rebuilding their lives and securing a more stable future.

Local humanitarian leadership as the key 

Oxfam in Vietnam emphasizes the importance of local and national leadership in humanitarian actions. For decades, we have supported these actors to strengthen their response preparedness.

At the national level, the Vietnam Dykes and Disasters Management Authority (VDDMA) through the National DRR Partnership is the government's agency for coordinating disaster response among all humanitarian and DRR actors, including government bodies, the UN Country Team Vietnam, and INGOs. As a member of the National DRR Partnership, Oxfam worked closely with them to monitor the situation and coordinate emergency responses. This joint effort contributed to the national response plan for the typhoon.

Since local authorities, organizations and communities are front-line responders, Oxfam collaborated with them to assess and prioritize the needs of women, children, and people with disabilities. This was done through inclusive consultative processes and gender analysis with affected populations. The local community determined their own needs and who should be prioritized for support. Oxfam partnered with the provincial Red Cross chapters in Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces, and the Women's Union in Hoa Binh province. Local women’s organizations also participated in humanitarian needs assessment, analysis, and resource mapping. 

Early in the national emergency response, Oxfam reintroduced the "Voluntary Guidelines: Humanitarian and Charitable Relief Procedures," compiled in 2021. This document, based on the "Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response" and Oxfam's experience, provides principles, steps, and recommendations for effective humanitarian decisions tailored to Vietnam's disaster contexts. 

For decades, Oxfam in Vietnam has coordinated with national and local networks, built partner capacity through joint training, coaching, and mentoring, and provided small project grants for institutional strengthening. Oxfam also acted as a connector with government agencies, the UN, INGOs, donors, and governments during crises.