From October 21^st to 22^nd, 2025, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), in collaboration with the Steering Committee and the People’s Committees of Trieu Binh and Trieu Co communes in Quang Tri Province, organized training courses on disability-inclusive community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM). The training brought together 53 people with disabilities and their family members from flood-prone residential areas in the two communes. This activity was conducted within the framework of the project “Together We Can”, funded by Caritas Australia and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the SRD Centre.

During the training, participants shared their experiences in disaster prevention and response, discussed the capacities and challenges faced by people with disabilities and their families, and reviewed the dos and don’ts before, during, and after natural disasters. They also explored the significance and importance of early warning and early evacuation, as well as the integration and inclusion of people with disabilities in community-based disaster risk management. Through these discussions, participants were encouraged to take proactive measures in prevention and response by developing their household preparedness plans with the participation of family and community members, and by reaching out to support groups in case of need to ensure the safety of lives and property.

At the end of the training, the project distributed 53 household disaster response kits to the participants, each containing the following items: one life jacket, one waterproof fabric bag for important documents and essential items, one flashlight, and one 20-litre water container.

Sharing their thoughts on the activity, all participants—many of whom attended such a training for the first time—expressed that the training was relevant and that the kits were very useful in supporting people with disabilities and their families. The activity was especially timely, as Storm No. 12 was directly affecting the central provinces of Vietnam, including Quang Tri.

“Attending the training made me feel happier and more active. I learned many things, such as why storms and floods have become increasingly unpredictable, about climate change, and the importance of proactive prevention — we must prepare beforehand. I also learned the proper ways to support people with disabilities during natural disasters.”

“Normally, when staying at home, I don’t have access to much information. Thanks to this training, I gained a lot of useful knowledge about disaster prevention for people with disabilities and their families. Training for people with disabilities is truly necessary. The most important lesson I learned is that I must first protect myself, and then, if possible, help others in need. I had never participated in any disaster preparedness training before, so this first experience was very exciting for me.”

“By looking at the village hazard map, I realized where other people with disabilities live — before, I only knew my own house. The training was really meaningful; I was glad to see that people with disabilities had the opportunity to participate with the community in actively preparing for natural disasters. Receiving supplies for the upcoming flood season also makes me feel more secure and confident that my family will do better and be safe this year.”

“As a person with a disability, joining the training helps me know what to do to prepare in advance — such as buying essential food, packing belongings for early evacuation in case, and not being complacent when a disaster occurs. Being more vulnerable compared to others, I must be ready beforehand. Life for people with disabilities and their families is already difficult and we usually have little access to information, so opportunities like this training are very valuable for us to learn and apply.”