Though Vietnam belongs to the countries with medium incomes, incomes in rural and urban areas are very unequally distributed. 20% of the urban population earns around 80% of the national income. Despite the low analphabetism rate, many children drop out of school and don’t attend secondary school. In addition, political persecution and suppression of Christians is a big challenge in the socialist state.
Kolping in Vietnam
The quite young National Association Vietnam was founded at the end of 2003 and is successful since then. 3.401 members are organized in 150 Kolping Families in Vietnam. Especially in rural areas many families are extremely poor. This is why Kolping focuses on granting microcredits, as well as on:
Clean water – better life
In the past, Kolping sister Hoa often complained of bad water quality: “Our water from the nearby river is often polluted and many people in our village became sick from it. This can be life threatening for my baby.” Therefore, each day she headed to get clean drinking water. This takes a lot of time and makes it impossible to go to work.
The water purification system of the local Kolping Family can change her life. Now it is guaranteed that water doesn’t make sick and her family and above all her baby can drink it without risk. Moreover, she finally has enough time to produce the little pieces of jewelry she sells on the market to earn some income. “Clean water will change our life”, Hoa is convinced.
Despite the difficult political situation, Kolping managed to support its members in the fields formation, production of clean drinking water and income generating measures.
