About
CSRD was founded in 2008 by the former Director, Ms Lam Thi Thu Suu and a group of dedicated professionals active in the field of community development and environmental protection.
History
About CSRD
CSRD is based in Hue, Vietnam. It is a self-funded non-government organisation (NGO) working to seek justice for vulnerable communities threatened by external change. CSRD has retained a geographical focus in Thua Thien Hue and adjacent provinces in the Central Region of Vietnam but has also undertaken projects throughout the lower Mekong.
The Founder of CSRD, Ms Lam Thi Thu Suu
Ms Lam Thi Thu Suu was the founder of CSRD and is a passionate campaigner for social justice and environmental protection. She was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar and won awards including the Bellagio Centre Residency Award (Rockefeller Foundation) and the Endeavour Executive Award (Australian Government).
“We work to make a difference in people’s lives and to create communities that can adjust and succeed in moving towards a better future.”
The Director, Ms Pham Thi Dieu My
The current Director is Ms. Pham Thi Dieu My who continues this tradition of community empowerment and environmental protection. She is an experienced and respected practitioner in the areas of natural disaster mitigation and climate change response, with a background in international and national scale projects. She has also managed many projects and research activities at a local level and with disadvantaged people.
Ms. My was awarded an Australian Scholarship to complete a Masters Degree in Natural Hazards and Disasters at the Australian National University in 2011-2013. Her expertise includes natural disaster research and practice at the local level, climate change impacts, adaptive capacity and vulnerability research, gender mainstreaming, social and environmental impact assessment, and community based research.
Our Mission
We work: To protect the natural environment and its complex eco-systems which are essential for the continuing health and well-being of our country and our people.
To seek justice for the poor and vulnerable people in Vietnam threatened by external change, helping create community resilience to threats resulting from industrial development, climate change, hydropower construction, agribusiness and gender inequality
Our Advisory Board
CSRD has an Advisory Board which exists to provide support and advice to the CSRD Director with a focus on strategic planning and the well-being and growth of the organisation.
The Advisory Board members are:
Chair: Nguyen Phuc Hoa, Disaster Management
Board Members Nguyen Quy Hanh, Knowledge Management Le Hien, Sociology Pham Thi Duyen Anh, Social Planning
The CSRD difference
We achieve our results through four key activities:
1. We research the real issues at the grass roots level and maintain grass roots buy-in at all stages of project implementation.
2. We act as change agents and raise awareness by training and advocacy.
3. We empower the disadvantaged, particularly women, helping them realize their rights and how to make their voices heard.
4. We lead pilot projects such as mangrove planting, composting and child education to demonstrate change options.
Our Staff
CSRD has a permanent staff of seven plus regular volunteers. Our project officers are young, energetic, passionate and well-educated. Their dedication has a huge impact on the people we help. Their academic background is extensive and includes Masters degrees from international universities and several Bachelor degrees. Our senior staff have worked on a range of projects over the years to become experienced development practitioners and project managers. Maintaining a highly qualified and professional approach is important to CSRD. We invest heavily in staff development and also train interns and new graduate volunteers giving them experience and hands-on practical work in the course of their support for CSRD projects.
We have been greatly assisted in recent years by Australian volunteers through the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) program, an Australian Government initiative. Volunteers have been placed with CSRD for periods of up to two years and we acknowledge the support of the Australian Government and the volunteers for their professional and dedicated contributions.Nancy McColl Bowen spent two years working to improve CSRD’s human resources and quality assurance systems, and in particular by introducing an annual performance review program which focuses on professional development. Heather Pavitt worked with CSRD for 18 months on communications and marketing activities and took our website to new levels. Bill Wood spent 12 weeks in 2016 as an Australian Business Volunteer advising on fund raising and strategic focus activities, and Philip Thomas continues this work in 2017 with a special focus on applying his skills to funding and marketing activities. The Australian volunteers have made a significant contribution to capacity building and professional development at CSRD and we have developed expertise in working with and managing their input. We are keen to continue this relationship which offers long term benefits to both parties.
CSRD Network
CSRD has been fortunate to work with a supportive team of affiliate organisations and project partners.
Our Local Community: Our local community partners includes the people of Nam Dong, Phu Loc, Quang Dien, A Luoi, Phong Dien, Phu Vang and the townships of Huong Tra and Huong Thuy, of the Thua Thien Hue Province. We also work in other provinces in the Central and Central Highland Regions of Vietnam and Mekong Sub-region Countries. Our local NGO partners include Vietnam Rivers Network (VRN), the Centre for Water Resources Conservation and Development (WARECOD) and the Forest Land Network (Forland), and the Consultative and Research Centre on Natural Resource Management (CORENARM).
The International Community: We work with International NGOs which include Nordic Church Aid (NCA), Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung SE Asia (RLS), ICCO Foundation (ICCO), Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), Oxfam, Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD), Irish Aid, Australian Volunteers International (AVI), Planet Wheeler, the Environment Study Institute (IVM), UNWTO STEP Foundation, and Both ENDS as well as international corporations including the PM Group and the Takagi Corporation.
Government Departments and Agencies: CSRD maintains positive relationships with the local authorities in the provinces we work with, including the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE), the Department of Planning and Investment (DPI), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DOFA), the Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA), the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (DOCST), the Division of Environment Protection, the Division of Aquatic Resources and the Division of Irrigation and Flood Management. We also work cooperatively with the Union of Science and Technology Associations, the Women’s Union and the Fatherland Front Committee in these provinces.
CSRD Values
Value One
We aim to work to protect the environment and its complex eco-systems which are essential for the continuing health and well-being of our country and our people.
Value Two
We strive to establish mutually respectful partnerships with our stakeholders.
We believe in ourselves and our capacity to introduce change peacefully in accordance with laws and regulations.
Value Three
We will work to support poor and vulnerable people in Vietnam to live a better life by addressing the issues which produce negative impacts on them such as industrial development, climate change, rapid social change and gender inequality.