Vietnam still...
Why STILL? The title is maybe provocative but in fact many organizations and funders opt out of Vietnam. Not because development does not work, but because it has worked so well. However we feel there are 3 good reasons to continue and stay.
Vietnam is still a LDC (Less developped country)but not for long anymore: currently the gross domestic product (GDP) reaches $720 (2007) and it is estimated that it will reach $1000 before 2010: it will then require less help; some countries (Belgium and France notably),are already reducing their help.
At the beginning, in 1994, Viêtnam Plus had for vocation to work solely in Vietnam, in poor farming areas of the South. Why the South? It was necessary to choose and to limit the distance in this country spread all in length.
The Cambodian countryside -province of Svay Riêng, is a lot poorer than those in Vietnam. The great poverty (less than 100 euro/year/person) touches 30-40% of the villagers, compared to about 10% in the provinces of Bình Thuân and Hâu Giang in Vietnam.
