Empower Abused and Trafficked Vietnamese Women

Highlights

• In September, 22 women and youth from extremely difficult backgrounds, including human trafficking and domestic violence, attended a six-day business skills training course organised by Hagar’s Economic Empowerment department. The training equipped participants with basic business skills to strengthen their capacity and improve their economic situation. The program included sessions in business management and planning, marketing, product development, a value chain field visit and an introduction of social enterprise.
• Hagar was able to share its work with a national audience! Hagar’s Psychology department cooperated with
  VTV2, a popular Vietnam Television channel, to produce an episode of the “Ky Nang Thoat Hiem” (Escape from Danger) TV programme. The episode focused on human trafficking in Vietnam and its influences on victims. Hagar’s psychologist shared about common challenges victims experience and techniques they can apply to support themselves before they can access professional support. The episode will be shared once English subtitles have been added.
•  Hagar Vietnam hosted Hagar International’s Country Leader’s Meeting in mid-September. Events included a
  cocktail party to introduce Hagar’s leaders to Hagar Vietnam’s dearest friends, government and business
  partners in Hanoi. Fifty participants, including Hagar staff and Hagar Vietnam’s donors, government and business
  partners attended.
• A new partnership was developed with the local NGO, Center for Counseling, Research and Empowering
  Community (CoRE) in Hanoi, to implement the “Empowering Women for Life” programme. This new relationship was formally approved by the government at the end of September. The programme takes Hanoi-based clients through the “whole journey” from victim to survivor. CoRE’s target group is young adults under 30. CoRE’s focus areas are mental health, essential life skills, planning and development, management of clubs and projects, leadership and organising skills, and specialised skills in social work and counselling. This partnership will enable Hagar Vietnam to open two new shelters in Hanoi to provide support to our clients more effectively.

Numbers

1  woman continues to work at JOMA
    woman continues her on-the job training as an accountant at JOMA
    woman started on-the-job-training at the Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel
    woman started on-the-job training at the Hanoi Westlake Intercontinental Hotel
    woman received reintegration support including living expenses and rental fees

27 Counseling sessions with women

In Their Own Words

“I agreed to take part in a TV programme on human trafficking to tell my story so that other vulnerable people will have courage to seek help and start their journey of recovery and development  the way I have been doing at Hagar.”
Thien, 21 year old survivor of labor trafficking

“I am very thankful to have Hagar support my sister and be with her through all the ups and downs. I know it is tough but you have been always trying very hard to empathise and encourage my sister.”
Ha’s elder brother. Ha is a 17 year-old survivor of domestic violence

“I find it very useful to participate in the business skills training course at Hagar. It helps me to better run my own small plate business as well as other business plans in the future.”
Na, 50 year old survivor of domestic violence