On February 17th, 2023, the Research Institute for Climate Change, Can Tho University (DRAGON-Mekong) project team collaborated with the Area 3 Community Group, An Khanh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, TPCT to undertake an environmental cleaning activity in Group 7, An Khanh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City within the framework of the project "Community-based canals restoration and solid waste management for improved flood resilience in Area3, An Khanh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City ", funded by The Canada Foundation for Initiatives (CFLI 2022) and the Institute for Environmental and Social Transformation (ISET).

The local community has demonstrated their support for the project by cleaning up rubbish floating in the canal, weeding, and picking up trash from public trash cans. The message of the activity is to encourage households and individuals to properly dispose of their household waste rather than throwing garbage into canals and canals, causing unsanitary and urban beauty, and to propagate and raise awareness for people in waste self-management in order to achieve a Green-Clean-Beautiful environment in the future.

Photos of the activity:

Participants help to clean up garbage floating in the canal 

Participants take part in picking up trash

Status after cleaning the environment

 (News and photos: DRAGON- Mekong Institute)

The project “Community based canals restoration and solid waste management for improved flood resilience in An Khanh ward, Can Tho City, Vietnam” was funded by The Canada Foundation for Initiatives (CFLI 2022) and the Institute for Environmental and Social Transformation (ISET) from July 2022 to February 2023. Following the project's implementation phase, on February 4, 2023, the Research Institute for Climate Change (DRAGON-Mekong) worked with the People's Committee of An Khanh ward to host a project results handover ceremony for the community in An Khanh ward's area 3.

Mr. Behzad Babakhani, Consul General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City, and Consulate General personnel attended the occasion. On the local side, Mr. Vo Thanh Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of An Khanh ward, Mr. Phan Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Council of An Khanh ward, and representatives of branches, ward organizations, and people Area 3 were present on the local level. Furthermore, Mr. Luu Tan Tai, Deputy Head of Sub-Department, Environmental Protection Sub-Department, Department of Natural Resources & Environment of Can Tho City also participated the ceremony. On the side representing Can Tho University was Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Tran Ngoc Hai, Associate Professor Dr. Van Pham Dang Tri, Director of the Research Institute for Climate Change and members of the project implementation team.

The ceremony was held to deliver the project's outcomes and products, such as flood-adapted trash cans, flood depth warning columns, pilot results of community participation in flow generation and waste canals for the community so that they can use these products and maintain the outcomes which the project has achieved. The project operations in Area 3, An Khanh Ward may be described as a pilot project to develop flood resilience for urban residents. Furthermore, it provides a basis for deploying and replicating the strategy in additional Can Tho communities, as well as urban areas in the Mekong Delta in particular and Vietnam in general.. Following the event, Mr. Behzad Babakhani, Consul General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City, spent time visiting the community with the research team from Research Institute of Climate Change, Can Tho University

Some pictures at the ceremony

Mr. Behzad Babakhani, Canada's Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City delivered a welcome speech at the ceremony

Prof. Dr. Tran Ngoc Hai, Vice Rector, Can Tho University speaking at the ceremony

Dr. Dinh Diep Anh Tuan, Researcher at DRAGON-Mekong Institute reported on the project implementation results.

Ms. Chau Thi Le Hoang, representative of the community group Area 3 speaking at the ceremony

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Van Pham Dang Tri, Director of DRAGON-Mekong Institute, proposes future cooperation opportunities.

The project representative hands over the project's results and products to the representative of the regional community group 3.

Delegates attending the handover ceremony.

Souvenir photo taken at the ceremony

Mr. Behzad Babakhani, Consul General of Canada in Ho Chi Minh City, made a visit to the community.

 (News and photos: DRAGON-Mekong Institute)

On February 9th, 2023, the Research Institute for Climate Change, Can Tho University (DRAGON-Mekong) project team cooperated with the community in An Khanh ward's Area 3, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City to implement environmental cleaning in Group 9, the Ghe Chim canal region. This activity was carried out as part of the "Community-based canals restoration and solid waste management for improved flood resilience in An Khanh ward, Can Tho City, Vietnam”  project, which was funded by The Canada Foundation for Initiatives (CFLI_2022) and the Institute for Environmental and Social Transformation (ISET).

This activity aims to promote the Community Group's self-management role in environmental preservation, as well as to encourage members on how to manage domestic garbage and prevent placing rubbish in unsuitable community areas. Residents have joyfully engaged in activities such as picking up garbage floating in the canal, collecting waste scattered around public trash cans and reminding one another of the need of environmental conservation.

Some pictures of the activity:

People participate in picking up trash floating on the canal 

People clean up the canal's rubbish by picking it up

People participate in trash collection

Status following canal cleaning

 (News and photos: DRAGON-Mekong Institute)

Propaganda activities to raise awareness of environmental protection

On the afternoon of January 6th, 2023, the Research Institute for Climate Change of Can Tho University (Dragon-Mekong Institute) collaborated with Community Group to organize propaganda activities for local community about environmental protection. This activity is in the framework of the project "Community-based canals restoration and solid waste management for improved flood resilience in An Khanh ward, Can Tho City, Vietnam (CFLI - Can Tho). It seeks to increase community understanding of the classification and management of household solid waste, thereby reducing the quantity of garbage generated in the region. In addition period, the project implementation group collaborated with the An Khanh ward People's Committee to announce the restrictions on fines for depositing waste in the incorrect area and sign a commitment not to litter indiscriminately.

Some pictures of the activity:

Distributing leaflets to each household

Commitment to maintaining the area's environmental sanitation

The leaflet's content

                                                  (News and photos: DRAGON-Mekong Institute)