Ca Mau (VNA) – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the administration of the southernmost province of Ca Mau, handed over 59 safe houses to residents of Khanh Lam commune in U Minh district on August 15.

This is part of component 1 of the project on improving the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate change related impacts in Vietnam (known as GCF project). Ca Mau province joined the project later than others (January 2024), however, with the efforts of the project management board, local administration, and beneficiary families, the project has successfully achieved its goal of building 425 safe houses.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, emphasised that the project's completion has turned the dream of a safe house for the poor in coastal areas into a reality. It provides a motivation for the households to focus on developing their livelihoods and escaping poverty, she said.

According to Ramla Khalidi, a house is a valuable asset for individuals and families, therefore, building safe houses is the foundation for enhancing the climate resilience of families living in Vietnam's coastal areas. UNDP is committed to continuing its support to the government and people of Vietnam in facing the impacts of climate change, particularly for vulnerable families.

The safe houses built in Ca Mau comply with the safety standards set by the Ministry of Construction. They incorporate additional features for resilience, suited to the landscape and customs of coastal residents. They are at least 0.5m above the highest water level and have a lifespan of more than 20 years. It costs 80 million VND (about 3,200 USD) to build a house. Of which, half of the sum is provided by the project and the remaining comes from the local administration.

Le Van Su, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said that residents of coastal communes in the province still have to cope with storms, high tides, and the harsh conditions of climate change every year. The support from the GCF project has provided many local poor households with safe houses.

Noting that with a 254-km long coastline and 41 coastal and near-coastal communes and towns, many poor households in Ca Mau still lack housing or necessary conditions to build decent houses, he said, adding that the province hopes that sponsoring organisations will continue to assist poor households in stabilising their lives, ensuring safety during natural disasters, and helping them escape poverty.

The project on improving the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities to climate change related impacts in Vietnam includes three components, namely provid൩ing support for building storm- and flood-resistant houses, mangrove planting and disaster risk data information. The project was carried out in Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Binh, Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Ca Mau from 2017 to July 2024. The goal of component 1 was to build 4,000 safe houses, benefiting 20,000 poor people who are heavily affected by natural disasters. Up to now, the project has exceeded the set target with 4,966 houses built./.