Program Concepts

A collaboration between VANGO Network, Design Capital Asia, and Our1World, HIPE targets at- or high-risk youths and communities and is a holistic integrated program that combines health, education, social, and economic development strategies. Mostly importantly HIPE is centered on an innovative peer to peer education model designed for school-aged youths that infuses creative teaching and leadership training in health education, disease prevention, disaster preparedness and response, and community mobilization within Vietnam’s poorest communities. Additionally, HIPE is heavily grounded on the principles and practical applications of public health, community development, and 40 development assets developed by the Search Institute. Hence, HIPE empowers young people through leadership training, life skills development, social entrepreneurial skills, community activism & mobilization, and self-esteem/self-worth identification & development in the greater context of life challenges & societal issues. Specifically HIPE trains students, youths, and community members to collectively address the high distribution of preventable diseases and to empower them with knowledge and skills to make healthy, sustainable, and safe life choices.

Tier 1 – Young Leadership Training Program

Through the Young Leadership Training Program, HIPE trains students to become Peer Health Educators (PHE) who receive coaching and mentoring thorough the year before being qualified as Peer Health Educators to lead health education.  Training programs offer building expertise knowledge and practices in local health and social priorities such as adolescent sexual and reproductive health, tobacco control and prevention, personal and environmental hygiene and protection. Youths are also trained in soft skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, presentation, conflict-solution, project and budget development, and activity/program evaluation.

Tier 2 – School-based Health Education Program

Working closely with the Department of Education, the school-based health education program includes the HIPE Peer Health Educators (PHEs) organizing and delivering health workshops on puberty development, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, personal hygiene, environmental protection, and tobacco control & prevention and on social issues such as gender education and anti-human trafficking to schools in rural and remote areas regularly during the academic year.

Tier 3 – Community-based Health Prevention and Promotion Program

The community-based health prevention and promotion program that includes health education classes to youths at orphanages and underprivileged villages utilizing temples, community centers, and homes of the PHEs. The community program also includes community-based promotional activities that the PHEs and volunteers working closely with HIPE program and local young and old community members to implement community benefited engagement activities such as the annual health fairs, Earth Day, World Water Day, and Coastal Cleanup Day to promote healthy living and protection of the environment.   To further expanding community health knowledge as well as sustaining community health prevention and promotion activities, there are radio broadcast programs produced collaboratively by HIPE youths and local radio stations; health training workshops to teachers, parents, and community members; and a HIPE Community Coalition consisting of youths, parents, teachers, and community members.