Photo credit: Madelyn Rawlyk
By Madelyn Rawlyk, MAGG
From our view on the boardwalk, the horizon was a picture of sustainability: proud windmills in the distance standing tall above a lush mangrove forest, backed by clear blue skies and sweltering sun. Just below us, fishermen and members of the local community wait on small rafts and boats for the tide to rise and fall so that they can venture out to fish, plant trees, and manage the forest. To finally see the Mekong Delta and the mangrove forests I’ve spent so many months learning about was incredibly gratifying, and emboldened my passion for the coastal resilience work being done at UNDP Viet Nam.
We were on a site visit to the location of upcoming mangrove forest restoration and conservation activities in Vin Hai Commune, Vin Chau Town, Soc Trang. Mangrove restoration and sustainable forest management is just one of many project components for the Viet Nam Climate Resilient Coastal Communities (VN-CSCC) project, funded by Global Affairs Canada. Taking place in three different coastal provinces in Viet Nam, the six-year project is expansive and includes the installation of early warning systems and establishment of climate-information groups, developing financing mechanisms for community-led nature-based solutions that prioritize women and women-led organizations, and biodiversity components such as coral reef restoration and scattered mangrove planting. Altogether, the project aims to encourage sustainable livelihoods that enhance coastal resilience to climate change in Viet Nam.
Working on project documents and communications products for the VN-CSCC project from the office in Hanoi over the last six months, it can be easy to lose sight of the reality of the work. I have often found myself wondering how my small contributions, like drafting a social media post, can possibly help advance such important goals. However, to have the privilege of seeing the exact forest where community members are planting and testing new climate-resilient species of mangrove trees, and hear local women’s challenges in the environmental protection group in Tra Set Hamlet, suddenly actualizes the entire project. In an instant, my seemingly small tasks feel more important, because I know that it requires an entire network of donors, organizers, implementing partners and community members to advance sustainable development. Whether my tasks appear big or small, I am delighted to contribute, knowing the people that it is meant to benefit and the layers of collaboration required to carry-out project activities.
It was only a short visit to Soc Trang, but having enjoyed delicious local cuisine (including rice that is supposed to be some of the best in the region!), visited a true mangrove forest, and listened (through kind interpretation) to the local community members, I feel like I’ve learned an entire course’s worth about the project and its future. I know I’ve echoed this sentiment in every previous dispatch from the field, but I want to reiterate again just how much Viet Nam has changed me.
Being from Saskatchewan, I’m almost certain I’m the first person in my bloodline to visit Asia, and I never imagined how invigorated I would feel visiting small coastal communities, seeing a specific tree species, and learning about a culture so different from mine. If you’re a global governance student who is at all curious about other parts of the world, I think completing a UNAC internship is one of the best ways to learn and experience it. While the travel I’ve done in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia outside of work has been amazing, I would not find the perfect manifestation of my academic interests and passions without field visits and experiences like these, which I owe to UNDP Viet Nam.
Although there’s been a fair share of challenges too, I cannot say enough wonderful things about this internship experience, so I’ll end this post here and encourage any readers to reach out if they have questions about absolutely anything.
Signing off (and staying in Asia),
Madelyn
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BSIA, its students, faculty, staff, or Board of Directors.