Rebuilt Housing and Recovery in Lao Cai, Viet Nam

When hope becomes a way forward

When disaster strikes, recovery is about more than just rebuilding what was lost; it's also about sustaining livelihoods and building resilience. In the northern mountainous region of Viet Nam, decent work is paving the way forward for local communities.

24 June 2025

Content also available in: tiếng Việt

Lao Cai, Viet Nam (ILO News) - When Typhoon Yagi swept through Viet Nam in September 2024, it left behind more than just physical destruction. In Lao Cai Province, it disrupted lives, destroyed homes, and deepened existing vulnerabilities. For many, it derailed progress toward decent work and sustainable livelihoods.

In the aftermath, communities in Xuan Hoa and Xuan Thuong communes, Bao Yen district, faced immense challenges in restoring their homes and livelihoods. In close collaboration with the Government, social partners, and other UN agencies, the ILO, together with the Viet Nam Cooperative Alliance (VCA), launched a Cash for Work (CfW) programme on 3–4 June 2025 to support those most affected. This initiative is part of the ILO’s continual efforts and is based on the experience from previous support provided to the affected communities in Yen Bai and Thai Nguyen provinces in December 2024.

Designed to address urgent needs while contributing to longer-term resilience, the initiative provided short-term employment to 356 households, including some from ethnic minority groups and other vulnerable populations. The CfW programme offered immediate income, enabling households to repair their houses, ensuring safety and health for their families, and stabilizing their lives and work.

Ho Thi Ngho stands next to cracks in the floor of her home, located by the river near where a bridge was destroyed by Typhoon Yagi in Xuan Thuong commune, Lao Cai province.

The impact of this support was brought into sharper focus during a field visit by the ILO team, led by Country Director Ingrid Christensen, who met with affected families and heard their stories first-hand. Among them was Ban Thi Bay, a resident of Xuan Thuong commune, whose house was completely submerged when the typhoon struck. The floodwaters rose rapidly, within minutes, leaving her family no time to gather belongings or secure their home. “Everything was under water,” she recalled. “We didn’t know where to begin.”

In the days that followed, like many others in her community, Bay faced the daunting task of starting over. Through the CfW programme, she took part in repair efforts alongside her neighbours. The income she earned helped her restore her home and ensured her children could continue in school, reflecting how the CfW programme can bring more than wages: it helps restore stability, purpose, and confidence. “Listening directly to these stories reminds us of what recovery truly means,” said Ingrid Christensen. “It’s not just about repairing the houses — it’s about restoring normal life, sustaining livelihoods, and strengthening resilience for the people and communities most affected.”

"Ban Thi Bay and her son, Dang Hieu Hien, stand outside their home in Xuan Thuong commune, Lao Cai province, one of many affected by Typhoon Yagi. With support from recovery initiatives, they are starting to rebuild their lives and look toward a more secure future — Ban Thi Bay and her son, Dang Hieu Hien, stand outside their home in Xuan Thuong commune, one of many affected by Typhoon Yagi. With support from recovery initiatives, they are starting to rebuild their lives and look toward a more secure future.

And the support goes further. With a focus on strengthening resilience, the programme equips communities through training on Community-based Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable Livelihoods and Production, aiming to strengthen the capacity of local authorities, cooperatives, and people to manage future risks, including those increasingly driven by climate changes. In parallel, access to social protection may help people to effectively recover, which were also among the topics discussed.

This work has been made possible through the UN Pooled Fund, supported by the Australian Government under the initiative “Rebuilding and strengthening agricultural livelihoods and shelter in Lao Cai province in response to Typhoon Yagi”, and the ILO project funded by the Government of Japan: “Response to the crisis caused by Typhoon Yagi in Viet Nam – revitalizing employment and leveraging shock-responsive social protection to build back better and leave no one behind.” The joint and collaborative approach of UN agencies ensures that complementary support is delivered to affected communities across various critical areas, including employment, livelihoods, agriculture production, housing, social protection, and disaster preparedness.

As recovery continues, the ILO remains committed to working alongside the government, social partners, and communities — helping ensure that the path forward is grounded in decent work, resilience, and inclusive growth.