Support for families in Gia Lai, Central Vietnam, during pandemic times

Life for poor communities in Gia Lai, Vietnam—especially among ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands—is shaped by hardship, isolation, and a growing network of support aimed at sustainable change.

Gia Lai has over 31,000 poor households, with ethnic minorities making up the vast majority. In remote villages, families often rely on subsistence farming, raising livestock, or gathering forest products. These livelihoods are vulnerable to drought, soil degradation, and limited market access. Many homes lack clean water, sanitation, and stable electricity. Children may walk long distances to school, and healthcare is often delayed due to cost or distance.

Despite these challenges, government and donor programs have made a meaningful impact. Initiatives like cow and pig donations, housing repairs, and low-interest loans through the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) have helped thousands of families start small businesses, send children to school, and build safer homes. In Chi Lang ward, for example, capital support helped Ms. Mluih build a new house and earn income from livestock farming. These efforts are part of a broader push to reduce poverty by 3% annually using multidimensional criteria.

Still, poverty in Gia Lai remains deeply rooted. Infrastructure gaps, language barriers, and limited access to vocational training continue to hold back progress. Yet the stories of families who’ve risen from hardship—through community support and sheer determination—reflect a quiet resilience. For many, hope grows not just from aid, but from the chance to build a future with dignity and stability.

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 200 hampers to families in need in this area.