GMS Contents

ADB's #SheExport Accelerator program has made a significant impact on Green Joy, a female-owned business based in Viet Nam specializing in crafting eco-friendly products made from grey sedge grass, which grows naturally in alkaline soils in the Mekong Delta and other provinces in Viet Nam. The grass plant, which is 1-2 meters in height and has a round and hollow stem, grows abundantly during the flood season.  In old times, farmers used the grass material to make handicrafts. In recent years, grey sedge grass has served as raw material to make straws.

In 2020, ADB and the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific implemented the Technical Assistance "Mitigating Impact of COVID-19 through Community-Led Interventions" project in partnership with civil society organizations. Watch this video story to see the result of this collaboration across five countries with inspiring stories of success and sustainability from innovative hygiene solutions to social protection programs. 

The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for migrant workers in Thailand, who found themselves facing not only health risks but also economic and social hardships. Recognizing these challenges, the Asian Development Bank contracted a local-based civil society organization, Raks Thai Foundation, to implement a project aimed at addressing the plight of migrant workers in three provinces. It emphasized community-led prevention, the establishment of social protection systems, and economic support for jobless migrant workers.