ORGANIZATION HISTORY
The Centre of Promotion of Quality of Life (LIFE Centre) was officially established under Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) with full legitimate and independent status as a Vietnamese non-governmental organization on August 1st, 2007. MISSION AND VISION
Centre for Promotion of Quality of Life has a mission to promote and enhance the quality of life o
f vulnerable people and communities. LIFE achieve this mission by conducting research, training and implementing cost-effective, sustainable and high impact programs. LIFE is the one of the leading organizations in Vietnam in mobilizing community-led organization network to provide community-based reproductive and s*xual health care, HIV prevention, personal development and resilience building in response to health hazards, climate change for poor communities, s*xual and gender minorities and factory migrant workers. LIFE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
LIFE Centre has a liaison office based in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and is currently staffed by 25 full-time professionals who have public health and social science background and experiences in community health education/ promotion and worker rights program. LIFE has a team of 60 locally-based staff who work in the provinces where LIFE’s projects are implemented. LIFE is directed by a Board of Management comprised with seven professionals in the field of business administration, financial management, philanthropy and development. All LIFE staffs and Board members are committed towards our core values being Quality, Results-based and Accountability. PROGRAM GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND EXPERIENCE
LIFE is working with and for:
(i) disadvantaged communities, especially women and children living in remote and rural areas throughout Vietnam
(ii) migrants and mobile workers living in big cities with industrial zones and
(iii) people infected by or at risk of HIV infection. LIFE’s program approaches are:
- Implement result-based, cost-effective and high impact programs
- Engage vulnerable target groups and communities in defining their issues, needs and life aspirations through participatory needs assessments
- Help organize communities and target groups and build their capacity to effectively participate in the program
- Network and collaborate with other development players to mobilize and share complimentary resources, to obtain technical support and build synergies
LIFE Centre implements programs in the areas of community health care, HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support, and workers’ well-being enhancement. In partnership with both local government, mass organisations and other Vietnamese NGOs, LIFE provides HIV related prevention, care and support programs to various vulnerable and most-at-risk populations including people living with HIV (PLHIV) especially women and children infected and affected by HIV, female and male s*x workers, men who have s*x with men, mobile and migrant populations. LIFE trained and worked with HIV, reproductive/s*xual health and social service providers and particularly CBOs to provide non-stigmatizing and gender-responsive services to the targeted populations. Referral to HIV testing and counselling services (HTC), outpatient clinics (OPC) for Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), treatment of s*xually transmitted infections (STIs) and Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) are integral project activities, achieved through a network of 37 community-based organizations. The Community Health and Resilience Program have received financial support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, USAID, the Government of Canada via the Asian Development Bank, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, HSBC, SIDA via Huairou Commission. The worker support and business sustainability program implemented by LIFE has positively impacted the lives of thousands of workers in the garment and footwear industries. LIFE has conducted various needs assessment on supervisory skills, workers’ rights and responsibilities, health and workplace policy support and job satisfaction surveys. Based on those assessments’ results, LIFE, together with company leaders and workers’ representing body, developed training and communication programs to address needs and issues to support top managers, supervisors, clinic staff and workers to work in the workplace effectively and in harmony. Since 2008, LIFE Centre has served almost 200,000 workers in 120 labour-intensive factories. The Factory Worker Support activities are supported by Business for Social Responsibility, American Eagle & Outfitters, Ascena, Columbia, Deckers, Levi Strauss Foundation, Li & Fung, Top of the World, GIII, New Balance, Marks & Spencer, Samsung, Talbots, Timberland and Williams Sonoma. Currently, LIFE is working in 18 out of 63 provinces and cities of Vietnam. CONSULTANCY SERVICES
LIFE also provides consultancy services to international and local agencies, organisations and companies in the areas of reproductive and s*xual health education, HIV/AIDS prevention education, life skills development for vulnerable women and children and factory workers, combating child labour and trafficking in women and children, job satisfaction, workplace communication and business development related aspects. LIFE’s customers include: International Labour Organization (ILO), FHI360 (formerly Family Health International), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), CARE International in Vietnam, the Norwegian Mission Alliance, Plan International in Vietnam, Vietnam Brewery Limited, Ajinomoto Vietnam, the Australian Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA. For further information, visit our website: www.life-vietnam.org and review our visual documentation on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUnFyBdxn574QKq3fCGuB3g
