An Giang Dong Thap Alliance for the Prevention of Trafficking (ADAPT)
is a u.s. based program which operates two shelters for trafficking survivors and provides reintegration, vocational training, and educational programs to prevent the trafficking of vulnerable young girls and women in Vietnam.
From August 2009-2010, I had the privilege to intern with ADAPT and was able to become more familiar with both the fundraising and administrative side of the program in the United States and the program side in Vietnam. To have a better understanding of the financial concerns for the program, I was able to interview Diep Vuong, the president of ADAPT, who is currently also managing most of the finances for the program. According to Vuong, 60 percent of the organization's funding goes toward prevention. Due to reasons for limited funding, much of the work done at ADAPT is heavily volunteer-based. Currently, the president is the only one who has a reportable compensation listed on the IRS Form 990 and the remaining five staff members on the board for ADAPT are volunteer-based.
In our meeting, Vuong mentioned that her biggest concern for ADAPT with regards to finances is the insufficient amount of funds that she has to operate its many ongoing programs. The ADAPT program currently operates a number of projects in Vietnam which consists of three components: a scholarship program that provides in-kind donations for uniforms, books, and school supplies and other school expenses for at-risk young girls living in the region of the Mekong Delta, vocational training that provides training and employment opportunities for trafficking survivors, and lastly reintegration and support for trafficking survivors by operating two shelters that provide a web of services for physical, mental, and emotional support. ADAPT is operating the first shelter that is devoted to trafficking victims in the Mekong Delta and a second opened up in 2010 along the border of Vietnam and China, after seeing a tremendous need for a safe house along this area. ADAPT is envisioning to expand its operations in the future especially to meet the needs of an increasing number of trafficking survivors and vulnerable populations in Vietnam, however it continues to run into the issue of funding.
Vuong expressed her frustrations in ADAPT having to compete for the same federal funding against large organizations such as Organization for Migration and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). ADAPT has been partnering with organizations such as International Organization for Migration in Vietnam on a local level by receiving indirect funding from IOM. IOM Vietnam generally receives U.S. federal funding, which then allocates it to the Vietnamese government to spend. Depending on the priorities of the national agenda, the Vietnamese government then decides whether or not to use this funding to promote anti-trafficking efforts and support programs such as ADAPT. Due to this inconsistent and unpredictable stream of funding, ADAPT has continued to struggle with difficulties in further expanding its programs and reaching larger numbers of those in need. Up until now, ADAPT has been relying heavily on private donors who have generously supported ADAPT over the past twelve years since its inception. Moving forward, ADAPT aims to focus more of its efforts on exploring new funding options and expanding to other governmental agencies and corporations.
In our meeting, Vuong mentioned that her biggest concern for ADAPT with regards to finances is the insufficient amount of funds that she has to operate its many ongoing programs. The ADAPT program currently operates a number of projects in Vietnam which consists of three components: a scholarship program that provides in-kind donations for uniforms, books, and school supplies and other school expenses for at-risk young girls living in the region of the Mekong Delta, vocational training that provides training and employment opportunities for trafficking survivors, and lastly reintegration and support for trafficking survivors by operating two shelters that provide a web of services for physical, mental, and emotional support. ADAPT is operating the first shelter that is devoted to trafficking victims in the Mekong Delta and a second opened up in 2010 along the border of Vietnam and China, after seeing a tremendous need for a safe house along this area. ADAPT is envisioning to expand its operations in the future especially to meet the needs of an increasing number of trafficking survivors and vulnerable populations in Vietnam, however it continues to run into the issue of funding.
Vuong expressed her frustrations in ADAPT having to compete for the same federal funding against large organizations such as Organization for Migration and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). ADAPT has been partnering with organizations such as International Organization for Migration in Vietnam on a local level by receiving indirect funding from IOM. IOM Vietnam generally receives U.S. federal funding, which then allocates it to the Vietnamese government to spend. Depending on the priorities of the national agenda, the Vietnamese government then decides whether or not to use this funding to promote anti-trafficking efforts and support programs such as ADAPT. Due to this inconsistent and unpredictable stream of funding, ADAPT has continued to struggle with difficulties in further expanding its programs and reaching larger numbers of those in need. Up until now, ADAPT has been relying heavily on private donors who have generously supported ADAPT over the past twelve years since its inception. Moving forward, ADAPT aims to focus more of its efforts on exploring new funding options and expanding to other governmental agencies and corporations.