I am ecstatic to officially be living and working in VIETNAM for 8 months in September. The organization that I will be working for is called the Vietnam Centre for Water Conservation and Development (WARECOD). It was founded under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association. WARECOD aims at promoting the sustainable use of Vietnam’s water resources as well as educating the population about the adverse effects of various water development projects in both urban and rural areas.
Vision:a world where people are aware of the value of water resources and cooperate together in solidarity to conserve these resources and ensure their equitable and sustainable use.
Mission: protect Vietnam’s water resources, in order to contribute to ensuring the well-being of river ecosystems, sustain biodiversity, and protect the livelihoods of communities that depend on these resources.
Although this organization was not my first choice, WARECOD thought that I would be a perfect fit for their team. I was initially hoping to work with an organization that focused on urban development since I have experience working with rural development projects, but after researching about the organization, I think its a perfect match. I have always had a keen interest in human rights, and WARECOD advocates for the rights of ethnic minorities living in the rural areas that have inadequate access to clean water. Everything happens for a reason and I am sure that I will have a great experience. Water conservation is an issue that affects many countries around the world and I am looking forward to learning more about conservation strategies. I am also very excited to be working with the Vietnamese people who live in the rural areas, I am sure it will be fascinating to experience their culture and way of life.
Currently, I am unaware of my position in the organization or what the next steps are but I will hopefully know soon. For more information on WARECOD check out their website here!
