H.E.A.R Pilot Project

Project H.E.A.R was firstly carried out in the remote mountainous province of Lao Cai, in northwestern Vietnam, where lived a diverse population of different ethnic groups, the majority of which are minorities like Hmong, Dao, Giay, and Tay. Project H.E.A.R worked with ethnic women through Oxfam’s “Enhancing Economic Leadership of Minority Women’s through Market Interventions” project in Muong Khuong district.

Such community was chosen because ethnic minority groups in Vietnam often speak different local languages and are relatively isolated. Thus, there is better need to understand precisely their needs and concerns. Recently, the Government and many NGOs’ poverty alleviation strategy have focused more on ethnic minorities. However, are such interventions good ways to promote local development? How could such project be contribution to endogenous development rather than disruption to the existing social structure?


Additionally, there was a need from Oxfam Vietnam to better understand in a more direct way the effectiveness (and ineffectiveness) of their livelihood project on the women’s lives. Such understandings were essential in project's review and evaluation. The media product itself could be used for communication or advocacy purposes. But most importantly, participatory video was a unique way for the ethnic women to tell stories of their lives, in their own voices.

H.E.A.R Audience​



1. The direct audience of the film are stakeholders/players in Oxfam’s project including: 
- The ethnic minority communities in Bat Xat and Muong Khuong district
- Local officials of Lao Cai’s provincial offices: Women Union, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, People’s Committee
- Oxfam local and international practitioner
- Local organizations

2. It will be screened to a community of development practitioners, social entrepreneurs and media workers in Vietnam and Washington D.C



3. Social media will also be utilized to spread the film in hope of raising awareness about the importance of firsthand understanding of poor community in developing poverty-related projects.

4. It is also posted on H.E.A.R’s official website for viewing by people with interests in the project.