Social security isn’t just a policy on paper – A Rise-Supported Project in 2025
For people in mountainous villages, natural disasters have become a familiar part of life rather than exceptional events. As a result, “social security” (“an sinh xã hội”) can sometimes feel like a distant concept. In reality, policies do exist and official documents are in place, but for a household recovering from floods, knowing what support they are entitled to, what they need to do, and where to begin remain major barriers. Many do not know which category they fall under, are unclear about the first steps, and lack confidence in navigating administrative procedures.
It was from these gaps that a project was launched to address social security challenges for local communities. What set this project apart was not the size of its budget or the length of its implementation, but its application of a movement-based solution, accompanied by Rise and the Social Movement Support Program (2025). The project addressed the root causes of social protection challenges by strengthening people’s capacity to access policies on their own.
The project team chose to start from the shortcomings and bottlenecks identified above. Instead of delivering concept-heavy awareness sessions, they sat down with community members and listened to very practical questions: What should we do if our documents are lost? Who certifies house damage? How long does the process take? The answers were not delivered through lectures but compiled into a small handbook—where policies were rewritten in everyday language, accompanied by clear, step-by-step guidance. People could simply open the relevant page, read, and follow the instructions. At the same time, a local support group was formed. Rather than relying on specialized officials, this group consisted of local residents—people willing to learn first, ask questions in advance, and then guide their neighbors. An online discussion group arose so that questions no longer had to wait until the “next support round.”
Behind this approach was the quiet yet crucial accompaniment of Rise and the Social Movement Support Program. Without imposing communication targets or rigid implementation frameworks, Rise enabled the team to “experiment – learn – adjust” directly within the community. When guiding residents in using technology took longer than expected, the team was not pressured to “move faster to meet reporting deadlines.” Instead, they focused on in-depth training for a small number of capable and trusted community members, enabling them to become future community facilitators.
The focus on training community facilitators ensured that the project did not end when external resources finished. The local support group continued to operate, residents began answering one another’s questions, and issues that once caused hesitation became topics that could be openly discussed and clearly explained. Some people learned for the first time how to reissue documents lost after floods. Others realized they could access multiple policies at the same time, rather than waiting for a single form of assistance. Those who had previously avoided interacting with government agencies became more confident once they understood the procedures and their rights. These changes were quiet and unremarkable on the surface, yet they marked a significant shift—from passively receiving aid to actively managing risks and social security entitlements.
This story highlights a simple but often overlooked truth: Policies only truly work when there are community-level solutions that help people understand, trust, and use them. Manageable, movement-based solutions grounded in everyday life help bridge the gap between policy texts and lived reality. And when supported in the right way—as Rise has done—such movements can become a foundation for social protection programs to go further and be more sustainable. “Social security” then ceases to be an abstract concept. It begins with education and with the belief that people can protect themselves when they are given the right tools and information in the right way.
Looking ahead, in addition to maintaining project activities at the local level, the team plans to scale this model to other regions in Vietnam that are heavily affected by natural disasters. The team also hopes to continue receiving Rise’s companionship in the next stages of the project. As an organization at the forefront of supporting social movements, Rise remains committed to accompanying and supporting projects that apply movement-based solutions to address community challenges.
Team Rise.