Letter from Centre's Board
Vietnam embarked on rapid economic growth and modernization in slightly more than two decades, uplifting significant portions of the population. The poor population of Vietnam was reduced from 58% in 1993 to 12% in 2011 in those years; its UN Human Development Index improved from 0.435 in 1990 to 0.593 (ranked 128 of medium human development) in 2011. Vietnam is also a country recognized to have achieved Millennium Development Goal One of the United Nations, which is the eradication of extreme hunger and poverty.
Yet, paths of rapid economic growth will leave behind groups of people who are unable to take advantage of the opportunities that growth presents. The sub-indexes relating to social development such as health and education, in Vietnam’s Human Development Index, have achieved lower levels of progress. Much work remains to be done in filling the gaps that marginalized people fall through.
When rapid growth is accompanied by a less-than-ideal state of governance, populations marginalized would also tend to grow. It is natural to want to start helping the marginalized by asking who is responsible for marginalization, but more than any other aspect, concrete help for the marginalized is urgent and needs to be stepped up even while academics and policymakers debate the answers to the question of responsibility.
The Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) wants to be helpful, not vengeful. Furthermore, SCDI believes that those most useful in helping the marginalized people are the marginalized people themselves as well as the community living around them. This is the reason why the mark of SCDI’s success in supporting community development initiatives is when it germinates self-sustaining development initiatives within communities that could pull in resources from all – including state and non-state.
SCDI is becoming a catalyst for community development initiatives for the marginalized people in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. SCDI is the brainchild of a group of dedicated medical-social workers that are beginning to find ways to negotiate around the myriad problems of the marginalized through the route of the community. Its ability to work with authoritarian and controlling state authorities has been demonstrated by its ongoing projects that engaged stakeholders and targets of assistance.
It is the privilege of this Board of Directors to be asked to oversee the work of the SCDI beginning from May 2012. It is a credit to the SCDI Management that well-meaning outsiders and foreigners are included in this Board, with the objective of adequate self-scrutiny. SCDI Management believes such a Board would strengthen integrity and level-headedness in its decisions with regard to not just the strategies and programs of the SCDI, but also internal management and controls. Towards these laudable objectives and focused on helping the marginalized population, the Board will endeavor to provide the SCDI Management with adequate guidance and advice at the appropriate time.
The Board looks forward to a very successful year ahead for SCDI!
Yet, paths of rapid economic growth will leave behind groups of people who are unable to take advantage of the opportunities that growth presents. The sub-indexes relating to social development such as health and education, in Vietnam’s Human Development Index, have achieved lower levels of progress. Much work remains to be done in filling the gaps that marginalized people fall through.
When rapid growth is accompanied by a less-than-ideal state of governance, populations marginalized would also tend to grow. It is natural to want to start helping the marginalized by asking who is responsible for marginalization, but more than any other aspect, concrete help for the marginalized is urgent and needs to be stepped up even while academics and policymakers debate the answers to the question of responsibility.
The Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) wants to be helpful, not vengeful. Furthermore, SCDI believes that those most useful in helping the marginalized people are the marginalized people themselves as well as the community living around them. This is the reason why the mark of SCDI’s success in supporting community development initiatives is when it germinates self-sustaining development initiatives within communities that could pull in resources from all – including state and non-state.
SCDI is becoming a catalyst for community development initiatives for the marginalized people in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. SCDI is the brainchild of a group of dedicated medical-social workers that are beginning to find ways to negotiate around the myriad problems of the marginalized through the route of the community. Its ability to work with authoritarian and controlling state authorities has been demonstrated by its ongoing projects that engaged stakeholders and targets of assistance.
It is the privilege of this Board of Directors to be asked to oversee the work of the SCDI beginning from May 2012. It is a credit to the SCDI Management that well-meaning outsiders and foreigners are included in this Board, with the objective of adequate self-scrutiny. SCDI Management believes such a Board would strengthen integrity and level-headedness in its decisions with regard to not just the strategies and programs of the SCDI, but also internal management and controls. Towards these laudable objectives and focused on helping the marginalized population, the Board will endeavor to provide the SCDI Management with adequate guidance and advice at the appropriate time.
The Board looks forward to a very successful year ahead for SCDI!
SCDI overview
SCDI is a Vietnamese not-for-profit organization that works to improve social inclusion
Our vision
An inclusive society that supports the well-being of everyone, on a planet where human lives in harmony with nature.
Our mission
We work to improve the quality of life and social inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized populations and to reduce their practices that may be harmful to the environment.
Our core values
01
EQUITY
Meet people where they are and work with them so that they get to the place they want to be.
02
INTEGRITY
Having organizational credibility and trustworthiness. Having a strong sense of principle and commitment to its causes.
03
CONCERN FOR QUALITY
Consistently setting and adhering to high-quality standards, processes, outputs and outcomes. Continuous aspiration towards improving work, processes and systems.
04
EGALITARIANISM & FAIRNESS
Practicing and asserting fair treatment of people, and according to every one equal inherent worth and rights.
05
DIGNITY
Respect and protect the dignity and rights of each and every individual with whom and to whom we work.
06
EFFECTIVENESS
Delivering program and project commitments. Achieving strategic objectives with impact and measurable results.
07
TRANSPARENCY
Practicing organizational accountability by being open about information and decisions.
08
PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION
Striving to understand and address the real needs and issues of partners and constituents. Planning and implementing programs and activities in a participatory and
collaborative manner. Respecting the autonomy and right to self-determination of each CBO or NGO with regard to their own priorities and methods of
organization.
09
GENEROSITY
Sharing information and resources, and providing technical assistance whole-heartedly and to the best of the as part of its abilities, all as part and parcel of its mandate to support community systems strengthening.
