Representatives of local Red Cross Societies attend the ceremony to launch the USAID-funded emergency relief project. (Photo: VNA)

The 1-million-USD project is carried out in 40 communes in 10 central localities, namely Da Nang city and Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces from now to April 2022, so as to help affected local residents soon overcome difficulties and stabilise their lives.

Accordingly, each locality selects four communes severely affected by the pandemic, as well as floods in late 2020 to implement the project. It is expected that over 12,000 poor and near-poor households with over 37,300 people will benefit from the project.

The project will provide food coupons for the needy people and boost communications about hygiene and clean water to raise public awareness of the issues, thus helping to prevent and slow down the disease transmission.

Tran Sy Pha, Head of the Disaster Management Board of the Vietnam Red Cross Society's Central Committee, said that the project is of great significance to people in the central region amid the pandemic outbreaks with the appearance of new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

According to a recent survey by the Vietnam Red Cross Society, out of 509 interviewed households in 43 districts of the 10 central localities, 55 percent lost incomes from farming or fishing, 28 percent lost revenue related to small business, 26 percent lost their jobs, and 23 percent saw reductions in working hours. As a result, 82 percent of the households need cash or vouchers to meet their main needs, and 49 percent need support to restore their livelihoods.