A group of American University students took part in a Thua Thien Hue province study tour organised by the Centre for Social Research and Development (CSRD).
The students, from many different universities in the USA, were part of the SIT Study Abroad, School for International Training. They visited several CSRD projects learning about hydropower, aquaculture, mangroves, composting and the environmental and social issues facing Vietnam.
Ms Lam Thi Thu Suu,CSRD Director and Ms Pham Thi Dieu My, Vice Director Technical, who have many years of experience in the fields of Social Development, Environment and Climate Change, gave the students an overview of the history and issues faced on a variety of local projects. This was followed by a visit to the project sites which included: Tam Giang Lagoon, Quang Dien district, the mangrove regeneration project in Con Te, Huong Phong Commune, Huong Tra town, the model of social composting in La Chu, Huong Chu commune, Huong Trà townand the Binh Dien hydropower dam, Huong Tra town. These tour sites helped participants see more clearly issues such as the practice of responding to climate change, the difficulties that displaced communities are facing with resettlement and fishery resources that are in decline in Tam Giang lagoon due to environmental impacts.
The students provided excellent feedback to CSRD following their tour. The study tours provide some financial benefit to the project sites and also help CSRD fund on-going work. CSRD plans to expand its programme of study tours to showcase and raise awareness of some of the issues faced in Vietnam as well as some of the activities that are bing introduced to combat social, environmental and cultural changes due to industrialisation, urban development and climate change.
Please contact us at info@www.csrd.vn for more information regarding the Study Tour Programme or CSRD projects.
Thanh Tam – Heather