Health care for 3000 low-income workers in Vietnam

In this reporting period, we are delighted to receive the contribution of 03 sponsors with a total value $235.7. Thus, accumulated up to this point we have received a total of $361 from 06 sponsors.

Also in this reporting period, on November 29, 2018, we conducted the final activity of the second phase (a knowledge contest) and organized the project review conference. Some outstanding results that the project has achieved include:

- Project area: 08 Japanese-invested companies in 3 industrial parks of Hanoi and 2 industrial parks of Bac Ninh province.

- Training skills for trade union officials and health workers of enterprises to provide information/advice to workers: 01 session (lasting 2 days) with 80 participants.

- Communication for employees: 20 sessions (including 10 nutrition sessions, 7 sessions on reproductive health and 3 sessions on maternity depression) with a total of 3,400 participants. The results of quick assessment before and after the communication sessions showed that only 36% to 51% of the interviewees had the right expression before the communication. After the communication, this number increased from 81% to 90 % depending on the question.

- Distributing condoms and emergency contraceptive pills to employees: 3,500 condoms and 2,000 blisters of emergency contraceptive pills.

- Distributing leaflets on nutrition care, maternity depression, reproductive health and modern contraceptive methods for workers: nearly 10,000 leaflets.

- Mobile reproductive health examination and counseling for female workers: nearly 700 people were examined and consulted, of which 70% were found to have reproductive tract infection, and 17 cases were found to be positive for cervical cancer through rapid testing and were asked to do intensive testing to rule out.

- The knowledge contest: 70 representatives of workers, trade union officials at all levels, reporters and international organizations attended. There were 5 teams trepresenting 5 companies participating in the project, and 2 teams who are the audience have shared their knowledge of nutrition, maternity depression, reproductive health - contraceptive methods, and skills wear condoms.

According to the survey results at the end of the Phase #2, most beneficiaries appreciated the significance of the project when helping them improve their knowledge and skills. At the same time, the beneficiary also earnestly wishes that the project can continue to be implemented in the next years to have more workers to benefit from the project.

With such achieved results, For Vietnamese Stature Foundation and our partner – Trade Union of Hanoi Industrial and Export Processing Zones (or higher level of the Trade Union) will continue to work together to implement the phase #3 of the project in 2019. Our original intention is to expand the project area to the surrounding provinces. And to achieve that, we need the support of sponsors all over the world.

Links:

• Raising Workers' Awareness of Healthcare for Women and Children

In the last three months we have not received any additional funding from individuals. The figure still stands at $105 from three donors. However, with the support of TH Group and DKT International as mentioned in the previous report, we have made more communication sessions for workers. Specifically, from July 30 to October 22, we have implemented 12 communication sessions, including five sessions on nutrition, four sessions on reproductive health and three sessions on postnatal depression.

Companies participating in the communication sessions are Japanese-invested companies, including Yamaha, Canon, Denso, Daiwa, Asti and SEI. These companies set up its factories in industrial zones of Hanoi and Bac Ninh province. A total of 2,000 workers have attended our communications sessions during this time.

Attend communication sessions, workers not only raised knowledge through expert's presentations and leaflets but also distributed milk, condoms and birth control pills. These were not just simple gifts but also a way to help workers practice safe sex and nutrition right after learning the knowledge.

Especially, in the three months, we have also implemented counseling for workers through the fanpage of For Vietnamese Stuture Foundation. The questions sent by the workers were answered by experts and posted on the panpage for many to see.

From now until 2018, the project will continue to carry out the remaining two communication sessions before holding a project review conference and knowledge contest on November 29.

We will update the results of the project in the next report.

Thank you for the cooperation with our project.

Best regards,

Links:

• "Corner" counseling for workers on fanpage