1. “More
to lose…
…lessons from Vietnam”
Development Workshop France
Disaster Risk Reduction
Practitionners Workshop
Bangkok 13-14 November 2013

2. Vietnam
2

3. Xangsane 2006
Disasters in VN
HUE Flood 1999
HUE Cecil 1985
Natural disasters
Annual losses 1% GDP

4. Wutip & Nari 2013
4

5. National Strategy for DRR
National Target Programme
for Climate Change
National Programme on
CBDRM
Law on DRR
have been
prepared, voted, and are
implemented.

6. But more poor,
more vulnerable people,
more affected by natural
disasters!

7. Who can reduce vulnerability ?
Family,
local
authorities,
&
government
7

8. Household level
Policy, law, codes,
regulations
Hazards & risks
HOUSE
Land
Funding, savings & loans
Building materials
& techniques
Intellectual
and physical labour
Infrastructure
& services
Family
needs, wishes, capacity,
vision of future

9. Housing stock (Data 2009)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Vietnam
< 1975
1975-1999
Urban
2000-2009
Rural
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Vietnam
Permanent
< 1975
Semi-permanent
Less-permanent
1975-1999
2000-2009
Simple

10. People struggle for « better » homes
Despite poverty, over the past 30
years families have incrementally
replaced bamboo and thatch
houses with more durable
structures, building what they
believe is a stronger house.
Sadly, few houses have been either
well built or completely finished
and they cannot resist a strong
storm.

11. Stronger materials, but badly used

12. Vulnerability is increasing: there is more to lose !
Precious family investment in
the home is at serious risk
from annual typhoons and
floods.
Unneccesary damage could
be avoided.
12

13. When disaster strikes…
Families have had to cope on their own for reconstruction.
• There has been little support and no recognition of the important
contribution families can make to damage prevention.
• Rebuilding costs many times more than any support they get from
the state.

14. For families, damage prevention is the best option
It is cheaper, it is easy, and it is socially appropriate
Preventive
strengthening at
domestic level
needs to made a
priority.
14

15. BUILDING SAFER & BET TER !
15

16. The DWF project objective
is to reduce vulnerability
and damage in houses and
small infrastructure.
The DWF project helps
protect family investment
in shelter and enables
investment in
improvements, not repairs.

18. Making new and existing houses strong and safe
Vulnerable house
Technical
support
Stronger
houses
Subsidy
Loans
Temporary house

19. One message, many media:
“prevent flood & storm
damage”
19

20. 10 generic principles of safer construction
20

21. Housing preventive reinforcement
2000 – 2009
Canada, DIPECHO

22. 2011
Hue 2008
22

23. 2010
2012, 2013
6 Provinces Mekong Delta

24. Impact & diffusion
 Recognition of interest at local level for housing preventive reinforcement
 Built on practices, training, demonstration, public campaign more than on building
codes
 Working with main actors of house construction: builders / families
 Pilot demonstration leads to acceptance by local authorities & families
 Models diffused also through reconstruction programmes
 Recognition of interest at national level, through conferences, awards, visits and
collaboration for Atlas on Vulnerability.

25. Support to the National Programme
of Safe Housing in Flood Prone Areas
of the Ministry of Construction
DIPECHO 2012-2013

26. Ministry of Construction - Programme 716
Support to families to build safe house part in high flood areas (>1,5 m)
- Subsidy (500$) & preferential loan (500$) & family contribution
-Technical advices & supervision
-700 families in pilot phase / 60 000 in extension phase

27. DWF Technical assistance – with Ministry & Departments of Construction
In each province (13) of central Vietnam
- Survey of vulnerability of housing
- Atlas of vulnerability and solutions for safe housing in different contexts
- Model houses built
- Public buildings / evacuation centre built at village level
- Provincial workshops with District & Commune technicans
- Public campaign / Films (Provincial & National TV)

28. Safe during
Wutip typhoon !
28

29. Lessons learned (1)
Safe housing
• Housing is one of sector most affected by natural disasters, but often considered
only for reconstruction after disaster, not in disaster risk reduction.
• Safer house = safe (location) + reinforced (structure + walls + roof).
• Local architectural traditions / materials and techniques – with key resistant
principles or standards.
• Prevention measures (not only just before disaster) have to be supported.
• Reinforcing a “common” house costs about 10 - 25% of initial cost.
DWF
• Duration : DWF 25 years in Vietnam, permanently since 13 years in Thua Thien
Hue (central Vietnam).
• From demonstration at Community level, to cooperation at Provincial level, and
advice at National level.
• Long process of knowledge, trust and interest.
• Method transferred to other countries (Myanmar, Haiti, Indonesia)

30. Lessons learned (2)
For families, builders, technicians, decision makers and INGO’s
• Families
: Great demand / housing reinforcement stabilises families; but
incentive are needed.
• Builders
: Difficult to change ways of building (usually saving materials
and money) but demonstration and training is a good way to
change their methods.
• Technicians
: Construction technicians have some knowledge about impact of
disasters on housing, but often forget it during design and
construction supervision process.
• Decision makers: Immediate preparedness is more considered than long term
prevention. Face to huge damage to housing and public
buildings, policy is changing; the Ministry of Construction is
now considering not only housing but housing in disaster areas.
• INGO’s
: Housing is not a priority sector / complicated and costly.
Providing only roofing materials for example is not a solution,
without technical advices, and reinforcement of roof structure.

32. Development Workshop France
DW France
John Norton
B.P. 13
82110 Lauzerte
France
DW Viet Nam
Guillaume Chantry
21 Ngoc Anh
Phu Thuong – Phu Vang
Thua Thien Hué Province,
Viet Nam
dwvn@dwf.org
www.dwf.org
Financed by:
IFRC (2010, 2013),
European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil
Protection Department
(ECHO/DIPECHO) (2003 – 2013),
Ford Foundation (2008 – 2013)
CIDA IHA (2000 – 2002)