Based on the proposal of Thai Binh Provincial Women’s Union and preliminary survey results in Quynh Phu district and Dong Hung district, SSCD in collaboration with Thai Binh Women’s Union conducted a participatory rural rapid assessment (PRA) in Quynh Hoa on October 28 and 29, 2021 to identify advantages and disadvantages in economic development, infrastructure, education, health, environment and culture of the commune. Capacity building and skills of leaders and local people on community participatory survey (PRA) methods as well as recommend solutions and interventions to develop rural communities in accordance with local resources.
The assessment team, consisting of representatives of provincial, district, and commune leaders and SSCD staff, conducted in-depth interviews with leaders and officials at all levels, discussed in groups of leaders and representatives of departments and unions, interviewed at Households in three hamlets were selected according to 6 criterias.
SWOT analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses of Quynh Hoa area
A small gift including a box of Lifebouy soap and a bag of masks was given to interviewees and the survey team responding to the implementation of the 5K messages during the current Covid epidemic.
Interviewing households using a purposeful questionnaire to help the survey team provide useful information about the real life of Quynh Hoa people.
In collaboration with local people, the survey team also went on field trips to local production and business households to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of business households, especially the opportunities and challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In-depth interview with the household owner of garment processing and field visit to the production area in Ngoc Que hamlet.
In-depth interviews with provincial, district and commune leaders, representatives of mass organizations, schools, and local health stations were conducted by the survey team to collect information on advantages, disadvantages, and programs/policies that the locality is implementing as well as the development plan in the coming years of Quynh Hoa.
Discuss opportunities and challenges in agricultural production development in Quynh Hoa area
With many years of experience in community development project management, the SSCD team encouraged and attracted leaders and people to participate in the survey, jointly discover problems, openly discuss and analyze aspects of life, and actively share aspirations in community development and people of Quynh Hoa.
Discuss in groups of commune leaders to identify local resources and wishes and aspirations for cooperation in the future.
In addition, field observations of schools, health stations, agricultural cooperatives, grazing grounds and fields for agricultural production, general environmental landscapes, village roads, and village cultural houses were also observed. The survey team took notes and took actual photos.
Thanks to the active coordination of leaders at all levels as well as the close direction of Quynh Hoa leaders, the survey team collected enough information from secondary data, and grasped the general situation on local socio-economic development and people, health, and education activities. Detailed survey results will be summarized and presented specifically to the locality in the near future. With the desire to effectively connect the resources of Quynh Hoa, SSCD, and donors, we hope that the PRA survey in the area will open the future direction of cooperation between Quynh Hoa and SSCD.