On March 27, 2025, the Project Kick-Off Conference for “Socio-Ecological Transformation for Ethnic Minority Women through Creating Sustainable Livelihoods in the District of A Luoi” (SODI – A Luoi Project) was successfully convened. The event featured the participation and collaboration of key stakeholders, including the Hue City Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO Hue), the People’s Committee of A Luoi District, the Women’s Union of A Luoi District, the REDTEA Research and Development Technologies in Environment and Agriculture Company Limited, the Center for Development Research and Knowledge Co-creation (CKC), and other relevant partners. The Conference aimed to align on a shared vision, establish action frameworks, and foster multi-stakeholder cooperation, while also initiating a five-year journey to enhance climate change adaptation capacity for ethnic minority communities, particularly women, in A Luoi District.

Funded by SODI (Solidaritätsdienst-international e.V.) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Project will be implemented from 2025 to 2029. It encompasses four main components: capacity building and awareness raising, developing sustainable livelihood models, preserving indigenous knowledge, and promoting renewable energy solutions through solar lighting systems. The Project’s interventions are designed and executed based on the principle of driving positive and sustainable change, leveraging the cultural values and strengths of the women, people, and land of A Luoi.

In his address at the Conference, Mr. Huynh Tien Dat, President of VUFO Hue and Project Director, emphasized: “The SODI – A Luoi Project was developed following a comprehensive process of needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, and participatory planning with the local community. This community-driven approach will create a solid foundation to ensure the relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability of the Project’s outcomes.”

The Project’s series of activities are expected to directly benefit over 1,000 individuals in the three communes of Quang Nham, Hong Kim, and Hong Thai, and indirectly impact over 8,500 people in the region by improving living conditions, enhancing infrastructure, and preserving the local natural ecosystem. The representative of the Women’s Union of A Luoi District underscored the relevance of the Project’s activities and affirmed the commitment of the district authorities, beneficiary communes, and local partners to implement the Project to achieve positive and sustainable development outcomes for the ethnic minority community in A Luoi.