Effort to Rebuild Lives in Yen Bai After Typhoon Yagi
	Message of Solidarity in Response to Climate Change

Spark creativity in climate change education

One morning in November 2024, a lively and engaging atmosphere filled the Climate Change Education Center at Hong Duc University (Thanh Hoa Province). Students from Hong Duc Primary, Secondary, and High School gathered for a special class held in a modern, well-equipped space. The center features dedicated functional areas that enable students to access information, conduct experiments, and engage in hands-on learning about climate change.

The curriculum is thoughtfully designed, integrating theory with practical application. Students not only gain knowledge through multimedia materials but also participate in group discussions, operate renewable energy models, and propose innovative green solutions.

Delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Climate Change Education Center, September 2024. (Photo: Hong Duc University)

Trung, class 10B, Hong Duc Primary, Secondary and High School, excitedly exclaimed: “I didn’t expect wind and sunlight to generate electricity so easily! I like coming to the center to learn about how to protect nature and develop green ideas."

One of the highlights of the class was a documentary screening in the center’s specialized cinema room. With vivid sound effects and immersive 3D visuals, the film took students on a virtual journey through regions severely impacted by storms, floods, and droughts. This powerful experience gave them a deeper, more emotional understanding of the severity and urgency of environmental challenges.

In addition, simulation games offered valuable, hands-on lessons. In one game focused on deforestation, students observed the resulting consequences, such as flooding and soil erosion. These interactive experiences encouraged students to reflect on the link between individual actions and the future of the environment, helping to foster a sense of awareness and responsibility for protecting nature.

Inaugurated in September 2024, the Climate Change Education Center has already welcomed nearly 800 students and is expected to serve over 3,000 undergraduate students from Hong Duc University each year. The Center offers free programs for high school students from 11 member schools, while university students participate through experiential learning as part of their compulsory coursework, subject to the same tuition fees as other courses. The Center also strives to create inclusive learning opportunities, ensuring access for students from remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas.

Dr. Le Van Cuong, Head of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Hong Duc University, said: “Students have shown great enthusiasm for the Center’s programs. Many teachers and school staff who participated in the project shared positive feedback following their visits and experiences. They expressed a strong interest in continued collaboration and in bringing more students to the Center. Several schools, including secondary and high schools in Thanh Hoa City and neighboring districts, have already reached out to register their students for upcoming visits and experiential sessions. These responses highlight the need to develop a diverse range of programs tailored to different age groups and educational levels to maximize the Center’s educational impact".

Looking ahead, the Center plans to continue mobilizing funding to upgrade its infrastructure, machinery, and equipment, particularly the integration of virtual reality technology and digitalization of learning tools to support the development of online learning programs. These efforts aim to provide students with the best possible educational experience. Hong Duc University aspires to establish the Center as a leading model, not only within Thanh Hoa Province but across the country.

In parallel with the Center’s initiatives, the University has also integrated climate change education into the curricula of its academic programs. This ensures that every graduate possesses foundational knowledge of climate change, helping to raise awareness and promote environmental action throughout the broader community.

Education for a green

Beyond an innovative model, the climate change education journey initiated by Save the Children has been expanded and integrated into strategic initiatives, creating a solid foundation for a sustainable future. With extensive experience, Save the Children has pioneered the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into the Vietnamese education system.

Students of Hong Duc Primary, Secondary and High School experience an interactive game on waste classification. (Photo: Hong Duc University)

In Vietnam, Save the Children is committed to building the resilience of children, families, and communities, helping them proactively anticipate, adapt to, and reduce climate risks and environmental degradation. All of the organization's efforts are aimed at enhancing adaptive capacity, protecting the rights and future of young people and their communities.

Since 2015, the organization has implemented nine projects on climate change mitigation and adaptation, focusing on building the capacity of children, communities and local authorities on prevention, preparation and response to risks of natural disasters and climate change. They also aim to reduce vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of children and communities.

Save the Children believes that comprehensive action is needed for sustainable development. Therefore, within the framework of climate change projects, Save the Children has implemented a series of synchronous activities from building a Safe School model, digitizing educational materials on climate change for students, communicating on reducing plastic waste, to establishing a Climate Change Education Center to raise awareness and promote action among children, teachers and communities.

In parallel, sustainable livelihood support initiatives, such as mangrove reforestation to protect coastal ecosystems, the development of financial mechanisms based on drought forecasts, and the promotion of adaptive livelihood models, have contributed significantly to improving economic conditions and strengthening community resilience against the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.

In terms of response infrastructure, the implementation of rainwater harvesting systems, floating toilets for communities and schools, and support for the development of community-based disaster risk reduction plans have enhanced preparedness and flexibility in responding to natural disasters. These efforts are gradually turning the vision of resilient communities for children and a sustainable future into reality.

Beyond practical programs, Save the Children has also played a key role in policy development and cross-sectoral collaboration. In 2017, in partnership with the Center for Disaster Prevention and Control Policy and Techniques under the General Department of Disaster Prevention and Control of Vietnam, the organization helped develop and issue the Guidelines for Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction into Local Socio-Economic Development Plans. This foundational document contributed to the issuance of Circular No. 10/2021/TT-BKHĐT by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in 2021, which formalized the integration of disaster risk reduction into socio-economic planning.

The organization also provided technical support to the Ministry of Education and Training in developing and approving the Safe Schools Framework for Disaster Prevention (2019), and in compiling and sharing lessons learned on safe schools (2020). From 2019 to 2021, in collaboration with FAO, UN Women, IMHEN, and DMPTC, Save the Children developed a drought impact forecast map for Gia Lai Province, which has since been integrated into the National Disaster Monitoring System.

According to Vuong Dinh Giap, Save the Children's Program Director, integrating disaster prevention and risk reduction into development programs is an inevitable requirement given the increasingly severe climate change. “This ensures that we always consider potential risks to protect the sustainability and effectiveness of development projects when implementing any initiative,” he said.

"Children are at the heart of every initiative at Save the Children. In the coming period, we will continue to promote comprehensive climate change education, from integrating into the curriculum to building creative models, helping children realize their role and proactively participate in actions for the environment and a green future," Giap added.

Every lesson learned and every action taken today lays the foundation for building resilient communities, capable of adapting to climate risks and environmental challenges. Save the Children’s commitment in Vietnam goes beyond striving for a greener future; it is about fostering resilience and empowering the next generation, families, and communities, the true stewards of our planet’s tomorrow.

Almost 5.000 Flood-resistant Houses Built in 7 Vietnamese Provinces 4,966 safe and solid houses were built for more than 25,000 people in areas frequently hit by storms and floods during the past seven years.

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