The project “Replicating the Community-based participatory planning model in provision of welfare facilities at local level” was co-developed by the Consultative Institute for Socio-Economic Development of Rural and Mountainous Areas (CISDOMA) and the People’s Committee of Yen Thanh Commune, with support from World Bank’s “Vietnam Anti-corruption Initiatives” (VACI) and the Government Inspectorate.

After delivering TOT program on Grassroots Democracy Ordinance (GDO) for the hamlet chiefs/deputy chiefs, party cell secretary and representatives from 14 communes of Yen Thanh commune, the Yen Thanh People’s Committee cooperated with the hamlet chiefs/ party cell secretary to promote the Grassroots Democracy Ordinance (GDO) in eight hamlets of the commune from 27th February to 17th March. The workshop was attended by 628 people (246 females, 382 males) and focused on the following topics:

Hamlet Facility selected
• The benefits brought by GDO; and
• The rights of the public as stated in GDO (the right to acquire information, the rights to directly involve in, discuss and vote on the matters to be solved by the competent authorities, and the right to monitor the decision-making process).
While practising applying GDO, the participating hamlets collected hamlet people’s opinions on the facilities that should be constructed/renovated. These included:

Hamlet Facility selected
Dong Tam An irrigation reservoir for a rice field in two villages: Constructed
Yen Lap  The community hall: Constructed
Pa Vay Su The community hall: Constructed
Yen Thanh Yen Thanh satellite school’s Vang Kheo water system: Renovated
Dong Tien  The community hall: Renovated
Yen Thuong The community hall: Constructed
Tan Thuong The community hall’s toilet area and clean water system: Constructed
Thuong Binh The community hall: Repaired

Assessing the workshop, a local authority said: “The session receives favourable feedbacks from the local communities, as they are afforded the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process democratically and select the facilities which they want to renovate and construct using the project’s methods.”

With support from the project and local authorities, the local community would vote on the facilities to be prioritized for renovation/construction.

Thanh Nha