Bringing disaster prevention knowledge to women’s union members

Recently, extreme weather events have become increasingly unpredictable, especially in mountainous areas. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, and hail not only threaten lives but also directly impact agricultural production.

In alignment with Resolution No. 11-NQ/TU of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee's Executive Board on restructuring the agricultural sector toward concentrated, green, smart, and sustainable commodity production for the 2026-2030 period, with a vision to 2035, the Dien Bien Provincial Women's Union has actively collaborated with local authorities, specialized agencies, and functional forces to step up communication campaigns on disaster prevention and control.

Women’s Union chapters have regularly integrated disaster preparedness and response training into branch meetings, community forums, and capacity-building sessions in remote and mountainous communes and villages. As a result, 57 awareness-raising events have been organized, attracting 6,276 participants.

The communication materials are designed to be practical, easy to understand, and tailored to the living and production conditions of highland communities. Members are provided with guidance on recognizing signs of hazardous weather, preventing lightning-related accidents, reinforcing homes before the rainy and storm season, protecting property, and ensuring personal safety during severe weather events.

According to Lo Thi Chu, Chairwoman of the Thanh An Commune Women’s Union, “In addition to encouraging residents to reinforce roofs, secure their homes, and trim large tree branches near houses to reduce the risk of damage, we also advise people to clear drainage ditches and waterways around residential areas. At the same time, we coordinate with village authorities to recommend appropriate cropping schedules to minimize losses caused by hailstorms and strong winds. Early preparation has significantly reduced the risk of damage to property and agricultural production among our members during extreme weather events.”

Beyond protecting homes, Women’s Union organizations at all levels have also stepped up awareness campaigns on workplace and production safety. Practical recommendations include avoiding carrying mobile phones while working in fields when thunderstorms are likely and refraining from taking shelter under large trees during storms due to the risk of lightning strikes.

Dien Bien Province has experienced several serious lightning-related accidents in recent years. One notable incident occurred on October 6, 2025, when a husband and wife from Ke Cai Village, Pu Nhung Commune, were fatally struck by lightning while working in their field during a severe thunderstorm.

In the livestock sector, rural women have been guided on appropriate animal husbandry practices during the rainy season. These include avoiding grazing cattle and buffaloes in areas prone to landslides, paying closer attention to poultry care during adverse weather conditions, refraining from brooding chicks during the rainy season due to low survival rates, ensuring timely vaccination of livestock and poultry, maintaining clean and well-ventilated shelters, and providing additional straw bedding for animals during wet weather.

Through awareness campaigns conducted by Women’s Union officials and local authorities, residents have gained a better understanding of the risks associated with the rainy and flood season and the measures needed to mitigate potential losses.

Women play a direct role in agricultural production, household economic activities, and community-based disaster risk reduction. Therefore, enhancing the awareness and preparedness skills of Women’s Union members not only helps safeguard individual families but also strengthens the resilience and adaptive capacity of communities in the face of increasingly extreme weather events.

Through training activities, the Dien Bien Provincial Women's Union is gradually bringing disaster preparedness and response knowledge closer to its members, particularly women in remote and mountainous areas. From guidance on monitoring weather developments and reinforcing homes to protecting livestock and responding effectively to floods and landslides, these practical measures have helped women improve their awareness and become more proactive in mitigating risks. As a result, they are better equipped to safeguard lives and property, while maintaining production activities, securing livelihoods, and minimizing losses caused by natural disasters during the rainy and storm season.