RESPONSE TO VULNERABILITIES OF THE URBAN POOR: The Case of the Tan Hoa-Lo Gom Canal Sanitation and Urban Upgrading Project

Recently Vietnam has been recognized as a sample of development in the Third world accompanied with lifting millions of people out of poverty. This paper aims to review how effective of interventions to reduce poverty in the case of the Tan Hoa-Lo Gom Canal Sanitation and Urban Upgrading Project which was implemented in Ho Chi Minh City from 1996 to 2006. The main concern is about vulnerabilities of the poor, especially in supporting them to maintain and develop their livelihood through socio-economic support programs provided for households who were affected by slum clearance and participation of communities. This research figured out that participatory approach brings about better project implementation and monitoring, also puts the poor in the central stage but is limited in helping the poor deal with daily life difficulties. Furthermore, the paper argues that despite remarkable successes of the project, gradual replacement of the poor at post-project is unavoidable if there is no suitable strategy in restoration and generation income from local government and other stakeholders.