Training with Local Communities under the SODI - A Luoi project: Turning Understanding into Action for Forest and Environmental Protection

Training with Local Communities under the SODI – A Luoi project: Turning Understanding into Action for Forest and Environmental Protection

5 January, 2026
ckcvietnam

On December 27 and 28, 2025, Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations of Hue City (VUFO Hue), in collaboration with the Center for Development Research and Co-Creation of Knowledge (CKC) successfully organized three training courses on forest and environmental protection for more than 120 local residents in A Luoi 1, A Luoi 2, and A Luoi 3 communes. Notably, nearly 85% of participants were ethnic minority women.

This activity marks the initial implementation phase of the Environmental Awareness Component of the “Socio-Ecological Transformation for Ethnic Minority Women through Creating Sustainable Livelihoods in A Luoi” project (SODI – A Luoi project). Through these training sessions, the project aims to establish a solid foundation of knowledge and awareness within the community, thereby guiding positive behavioral changes in forest and environmental protection.

During the training courses, participants:

Exchanged ideas and engaged in discussions on current issues related to forest resources and the environment;
Identified and analyzed key challenges impacting local ecosystems; and
Proposed practical solutions to protect and conserve surrounding ecosystems.

Post-training evaluation results indicated:

95% of participants reported a significant improvement in their understanding of forests and environmental protection; and
70% expressed a very high level of satisfaction with the training content and overall organization.

These encouraging initial outcomes provide an important foundation for the SODI – A Luoi project to continue its commitment to accompanying local communities over the next five years, toward the goal of sustainable ecosystem transformation and livelihood development.

The project, funded by Solidaritätsdienst-international e.V. (SODI) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is managed and implemented by VUFO Hue. The project runs from 2025 to 2029, encompassing main components on capacity building and awareness raising, developing sustainable livelihood models, and preserving indigenous knowledge.