Ambassador Naoki Ito delivered remarks at the ceremony.
Attending the ceremony were H.E. Mr. Naoki Ito – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Vietnam and his spouse; Ms. Kendra Rinas – Chief of Mission, IOM Vietnam; Ms. Silvia Danailov – Country Representative, UNICEF Vietnam; and Mr. Nguyen Truong Son – Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Nguyen Truong Son shared that the project is part of an international emergency assistance initiative to help northern provinces severely damaged by Typhoon Yagi and floods, implemented by IOM in cooperation with VDDMA, with the valuable support of the Government of Japan.
“We particularly appreciate this well-structured and effective model of international support, which places people at the center,” Mr. Nguyen Truong Son said. “We hope this model will be expanded to many other localities in the near future.”
The community shelter is not only a safe refuge for local people during storm and flood seasons, but also serves as a community space—helping to raise awareness, foster connection and solidarity, and preserve local cultural identity while enhancing the disaster preparedness of local residents.
In Cao Bang, the delegation visited Kim Cuc commune, a locality classified as extremely difficult, where they witnessed firsthand the impacts of Typhoon Yagi in 2024 on people’s lives. The delegation also observed the results of interventions by UNICEF, which have improved access to clean water, sanitation, child protection, and psychosocial support for women and children.
At local schools, the delegation joined drawing activities and traditional games with primary school students, focusing on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. They also visited a psychosocial counseling room supported by UNICEF.
Typhoon Yagi was one of the most destructive storms to hit Vietnam in the past 70 years. In Cao Bang province alone, the storm claimed 55 lives, destroyed nearly 2,000 houses, and left more than 1,060 households without shelter.
On the afternoon of April 8, 2025, the delegation, including representatives from the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, UNICEF, and IOM, held a meeting with the People’s Committee of Cao Bang Province and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment at the provincial headquarters.
According to the province’s report, Cao Bang has received a total of USD 326,844.61 worth of relief items and USD 2,127,348.07 in cash from various international donors and partners, including IOM and UNICEF.
Regarding IOM’s activities in Cao Bang (funded by the Government of Japan):
The organization distributed 1,100 relief kits (valued at approximately VND 1.7 billion) to 4,965 people across 8 communes. Additionally, one community evacuation shelter is being constructed in Ban Choi, Dinh Phung commune, with a budget of VND 1.55 billion, expected to be completed in May, ensuring safe shelter for up to 150 people.
