Awareness and understanding of the community about environmental protection, in particular about issues such as climate change, energy efficiency and the need to strengthen usage of saved and recycled types of energy were enhanced through advocacy and education activities.
- One training course to raise awareness about environmental protection for 50 people was conducted. An environmental competition was organized on the occasion of the World Environment Day 5 June. The project coordinated with the local radio broadcasting agency Voice of Binh Son District to publicize project activities and advocate for GEF/SGP. Project activities were covered on Quang Ngai Newspaper, voice of Binh Son District and the provincial television channel.
Demonstration models (5 biogas and 30 energy-saving cooking stoves) were set up in 3 project communes. 2 training courses were conducted to transfer technology on building the two types of stoves for 3 local engineers and for the 45-person construction workers team of the 3 target communes of the project (certificates issued for the construction workers).
10 study visits to the improved stoves and biogas-using stoves models were organized for 508 local government officials and community members of the neighboring communes. Total amount lent during project implementation was VND 217,900,000, which was then repaid 100%. Total number of improved stoves and biogas-using stoves constructed using the project loan were 244 and 112.

Project sustainability

- The project contributed to reduce the need to use firewood and charcoal for cooking, thus prevent forest destruction. It also helped reduce greenhouse gas emission as a result of traditional cooking stoves, contributing to improve women and children?s health, save time, cost and labor for women in cooking, thus promote gender equality. The project strengthened the use of recycled energy from animal waste, which would in the long term contribute to proactive programmes to deal with climate change.
- Quang Ngai Women?s Union has gained a lot of experiences in activities planning, project management, financial reporting. The implementation of the project has created favorable conditions for the Women?s Union to build and enhance relationship with various government levels and relevant government agencies in forest management and environmental protection efforts. At the same time, the project has helped strengthen the organization of the Women?s Union at all levels with more practical and effective activities, thus contributed to enhance the role and reputation of the Union among its members and the community.
- The local engineers and construction workers knew very well the techniques to build the two types of stoves. With the replication of the stove models in the adjacent communes, the construction workers had a new job to earn a living. To date, the construction workers team has not only built stoves for the project targeted communes but also for other communes of other district in the provinces and for localities outside their province border.

Project replication

- In order to make the project sustainable, the project had been designed to reserve VND 157,500,000 for revolving loan component, which accounted for 22.42% of the total project amount and 37.73% of GEF/SGP fund. The repayment rate was 100%.
- 12 additional training courses were conducted for 547 households on how to operate and maintain the stoves. 27 construction workers of the non-project communes were also trained. Community invested their money to build 93 every-cokking stoves and 16 biogas
- The provincial DONRE contributed VND 30 million to the project and continued to provide VND 100 million to support the application of improved stoves and biogas-using stoves in the island district of Ly Son, which helped successfully build 8 biogas-using stoves and 50 improved stoves in the district. In addition, upon visiting the project models in Binh Son District, leaders of some other communal People?s Committee?s have advocated their residents to hire workers to build another 78 biogas-using stoves.

There is no plan for scaling up by GEF funding.The grantee will continue to use the project revolving loan to assist the community to replicate the project models.

There is potential that the local department of science and technology will replicate the project models in their programmes.

There is no linkage with GEF initiative.

There is no clear policy link