On September 21, 2023, PVI coordinated with the Community Development Initiative Research Center (RIC) to organize the opening ceremony and signposting of the domestic water project combined with watershed afforestation activities in Na Sang village, Chieng Xuan commune, Van Ho district, Son La province. The activity is within the framework of the project "Construction and renovation of domestic water works in Na Sang village, Chieng Xuan commune, Van Ho district, Son La province".

Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Duong Thanh Danh Francois - Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of PVI, Mr. Do Tien Thanh - Deputy CEO of PVI - Person in charge of sustainable development, Mr. Alexander Nicolai Neumann - Market Management APAC at HDI Global SE along with representatives of PVI’s Divisions, Trade Unions and Youth Unions. Representatives of RIC were attended by Mr. Le Van Hai - director of the center and project implementation staffs.

The support project is implemented in Na Sang village - one of the particularly difficult villages of Chieng Xuan commune. The entire village has 131 households (583 people, including 289 women) who are currently living. All are ethnic minorities, of which the Muong people are the majority (about 85%). Poor and near-poor households make up the majority of households in the neighborhood with 53.4% (57 poor households and 13 near-poor households), the number of children accounts for 27.7% (162 children). The main occupation of the people is agricultural, forestry and small-scale animal husbandry.

The domestic water supply system in the neighbor was built by the government in 2004 under the state's 135 program. However, after a long period of use and lack of maintenance, by 2010, the project was damaged seriously: the upstream water collection pit is currently covered with mud, the upstream water tank is also cracked, 03 tanks are currently abandoned, most of the water pipes are now gone...Therefore, the project can only use 01 tank to serve 15% of households in the village. To have water for use, people in the village had to pipe water from small streams or build tanks to store rainwater. However, using unsanitary water sources, often contaminated with limestone, is a risk of causing gastrointestinal diseases, eye pain, kidney stones, gynecological diseases... for people here, especially women and children.

Realizing the difficulties in domestic water supply conditions that people of Na Sang village face with, PVI has sponsored resources, combined with RIC Center to implement a project to support people in building and renovating water works. Specifically, after more than 2 months of construction, up to now the Na Sang village's domestic water project has completed the following items:
1. Renovate and upgrade upstream water catchment to ensure no leakage and safe water use
2. Renovate and repair 8m3 upstream water filter tank
3. Repair 3m3 pressure cut tank
4. Construction of 02 new water dividing tanks in residential clusters
5. Repair and upgrade the water pipeline system from the upstream water collection station to each household
6. Install water meters in each household

At the ceremony, PVI and RIC Center accepted, assessed the quality of the project and attached the construction sign, handing it over to people to use, manage, operate and maintain. The completed project, handed over and put into use, has practical significance to support and improve the living conditions of people in the village; contributing to the transformation in the socio-economic development process of Na Sang village.

At the ceremony, the PVI delegation also participated in watershed afforestation activities with people in Na Sang village. Thereby, increasing people's participation in community activities as well as raising their awareness in protecting watershed forests - protecting the water resources of the entire village!

In addition to the above activities, PVI Trade Union and PVI Youth Union also coordinated with Moc Chau District Youth Union to carry out the handover ceremony program "Gratitude House for policy families in difficult circumstances in Moc Chau, Son La” and combined giving gifts to some difficult households.