Water is essential - So is understanding waste management

Lai Chau, Vietnam – Thursday, 3 December 2020. Today, HEINEKEN Vietnam, in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province and the Consultative Institute for Socio-Economic Development of Rural and Mountainous Areas (CISDOMA) held a handover ceremony for the watershed health project in the Ho Thau & Binh Lu Commune, Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province. This project under HVN’s community support of clean water aims to provide access to clean water for rural and needy communities across Vietnam and develop a culture around saving and protecting water.

“One of our ambitious goals is to be 100% water balanced by 2025. This long-term project takes a holistic approach in reaching that goal by addressing watershed protection and water scarcity across Vietnam. Clean water is an essential resource to which everyone should have access. Our program provides clean water access to communities that need it most, sponsorship of waste collection equipment as well as training on proper waste management. Creating a fully integrated project is important for the communities’ long-term growth and development,” describes Holly Bostock, Corporate Affairs Director at HEINEKEN Vietnam.

In Tam Duong district, Lai Chau province, most residents did not know how to treat livestock manure in a sustainable way or use chemical fertilizers properly. They don’t even have the equipment to handle waste. The combination of improper waste management combined with the lack of a centralized garbage collection system contributed to serious pollution into the communes’ water supply. HEINEKEN Vietnam’s watershed project, with the support from CISDOMA’s experts, has trained farmers to use pesticides moderately, and provided collection bins to prevent chemical waste from what would normally go into the soil or the water.

The watershed protection project in Lai Chau, started in January 2020, was designed with a series of trainings and technical advice to equip local people with proper knowledge on water scarcity, water pollution sources, proper classification and disposal of waste – including those from domestics, livestock raising and agriculture activities.

Ms.Tong Thi Thu, Head of Na Hum Village Women’s Union in Ho Thau Commune explains, “Previously, without training and technical support on composting microbiological fertilizers, the wastewater of animals was overflowing from house to house. Therefore, many people got sick and the neighbors often quarreled. After getting the support of the project, it provides a solution that benefits everyone, so they are all willing to join.”

Following the handover ceremony, the last set of activities in Lai Chau will take place over the next eight days, and bring the project in Lai Chau to a successful close. Within almost a year, the project has delivered 6 trainings and 6 technical coaching sessions, supported Tam Duong District with equipment to collect waste, and built a water connect system in Than Uyen. The training was rolled out to 1,883 households with 8,270 people across 22 villages, of which many residents are ethnic minorities such as Dao, Thai, Lu and Giay. In these communities where the majority of households are focusing on agricultural and forestry production, residents also learned how to compost and properly classify, separate, collect and treat waste.

This watershed health project is part of HEINEKEN Vietnam’s commitment to water protection, and sustainability at large and will reach out to communities in need in Quang Nam in 2021.

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About HEINEKEN Vietnam

HEINEKEN Vietnam is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN, the world’s most international brewer. Originated in the Netherlands, this family-owned business with a history of over 150 years, brews and distributes over 300 beer & cider brands in more than 190 countries.

HEINEKEN Vietnam was established in 1991 and operates six breweries in Hanoi, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, Tien Giang and eleven offices across Vietnam.

From humble beginnings with only 20 employees in Vietnam, HEINEKEN Vietnam is now the second largest brewer in Vietnam with more than 3,200 employees. HEINEKEN Vietnam makes a significant annual economic contribution to Vietnam, amounting to approximately 0.9% of the nation’s total GDP.

In Vietnam, HEINEKEN produces and distributes Heineken^®, Tiger, Larue, BIVINA, Bia Viet, and Strongbow cider.

In 2017, 2018 and 2019, HEINEKEN Vietnam was recognized among the top most sustainable companies in Vietnam by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and as a best place to work in Asia (in 2018, 2019 and 2020) by HR Asia Magazine, one of Asia’s leading publications for HR professionals.

More information about HEINEKEN Vietnam is available on HEINEKEN Vietnam’s website: http://heineken-vietnam.com.vn/

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For more information, please contact:

Ms. Nguyen Huong Mai
Head of Communications
Heineken Vietnam Brewery Limited Company
Email: mai.nguyenhuong@heineken.com
Telephone: +84 28 3822 2755