The villages along the rivers Vu Gia and Thu Bon are flooded up to six times per year. People have to leave their villages; they lose their harvests and, with them, their livelihood. This situation poses a great danger to  people with disabilities, since mobility constraints, the lack of access to information and their marginalisation in society makes them especially vulnerable towards natural hazards. Depending on the disability and their environment, they may not be able to evacuate independently, or may be hampered by additional barriers that make their evacuation difficult.

To include the needs and wishes of persons with disabilities and to integrate them in future disaster preparedness plans, they have to be involved directly in planning processes. After all, they and their families know best what kind of support they need. The motto of the Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs), “nothing about us without us”, also guides Malteser International in its work

Malteser International works with the population in 46 villages in the districts Dai Loc, Duy Xuyen and Dien Ban to enable a comprehensive and inclusive community-based disaster risk management. Community mobilisers, who often have a disability themselves or a disabled family member, sensitise the population to the issue. In this way, people with disabilities and their families are encouraged and trained to participate actively in their village’s preparation of emergency plans. At the same time, Malteser International sets up disaster response teams in each village, training them in search and rescue, first aid and evacuation. With help from priority lists, people with disabilities can receive help systematically and in time to seek shelter. As flooding can normally be foreseen in time compared to other natural events, it is also important to ensure that disabled persons have access to early warning and information mechanisms.