Support for families in Quang Nam, Central Vietnam, during pandemic times

Life for poor communities in Quang Nam is shaped by resilience, hardship, and a deep connection to land and tradition. Despite the province’s cultural richness, poverty remains widespread, especially in rural and mountainous areas.

Quang Nam is the poorest province in Vietnam’s Central Coast region, with over 70,000 households living in poverty—about 18% of the population. Many families rely on subsistence farming, fishing, or small-scale craftwork, but these livelihoods are vulnerable to seasonal typhoons, flooding, and drought. Poor infrastructure and limited access to education or healthcare deepen the cycle of hardship, especially for ethnic minorities and those in remote districts like Hiep Duc. In these areas, homes are often made of temporary materials, lacking sanitation and clean water.

Children from low-income families may walk long distances to school, and dropout rates remain high due to financial pressure. Healthcare is often delayed or avoided because of cost, and many rely on traditional remedies or community support. When disasters strike—such as floods or storms—families face repeated rebuilding with little outside help. Programs like charity housing and Tet gift distributions offer some relief, but long-term stability remains elusive.

Still, there is a strong sense of community and mutual aid. Families often share resources, and local organizations work alongside government and donors to improve living conditions. Despite the challenges, many residents express gratitude for small improvements—a new roof, a donated meal, or a child’s graduation.

The challenge of this aid:

2021 was an especially difficult year for many communities in these regions, as strict COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted daily life and deepened existing hardships. Our charity work was also affected, unlike previous projects. Our goodwill ambassador, Chi Lan, couldn’t freely choose her departure date due to pandemic restrictions.

Children from ethnic minority communities in the mountains had been waiting eagerly for support. However, during the outbreak, only trucks departing from Saigon were permitted to carry relief goods out of the city. Due to travel restrictions at the time, trucks carrying supplies from outside the province were unable to pass through Quảng Nam. As a result, our volunteers had to adjust the delivery route. Despite the challenges, she moved forward, driven by the hope and anticipation of the children.

The plan was for supply trucks to depart first, with volunteers following later. These trucks carried essential items such as rice, noodles, fish sauce, cooking oil, soy sauce, pastries, milk, and other staples. Deliveries were made designated drop-off points in Nam Trà My and A Xan/Tây Giang, where volunteers from Saigon helped to distribute the goods further into remote areas.

GGB distributed 150 hampers to families in need in this area.