Impact Snapshot

Location: Nong Loup Ian and Nam Ping Wetlands, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR

Assessment Dates: May 30 – June 14, 2025

Assessment Type: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) as part of the NATURA Project

Community Role: Active participation in interviews

 Key Story Points

Target: 372 households in 17 villages on livelihoods, health, safety, and community values.

Preparation: 7 enumerators received training (May 21) and a pilot test (May 23) ensured proficiency and tool readiness.

Engagement: Gender-balanced teams fostered trust, enabling open dialogue and culturally sensitive data collection.

Insights: The survey yields informal feedback from appreciative households on flood experiences and hopes for nature-based solutions, demonstrating a commitment to local understanding.

Feature Story

In Vientiane, where the Nong Loup Ian wetland and Nam Ping River pulse with life, the NATURA project strengthens communities against climate change. Our household socio-economic survey is key, a way of truly listening before we build.

Our journey began with 7 talented enumerators. Intensive training prepared them not just for questions, but for a deep connection. “My biggest ‘aha!’ moment was realizing how valuable our input was,” one surveyor shared, highlighting that connecting means “valuing insights,” beyond just asking.

A pilot in Ban Nonkhilek was our real-world rehearsal. Surveyors practiced and refined their digital tools and techniques, importantly providing feedback on their clarity to make them easier to use. This “dress rehearsal” boosted confidence, leaving them “much more prepared to handle diverse situations.”

Now, in the villages, NATURA’s commitment shines through gender-balanced teams. “Having both male and female surveyors is essential,” explained a team leader, “It helps us connect with everyone,” fostering open dialogue. Their “secret” to rapid rapport lies in transparency, active listening, and genuine respect, ensuring comfort for all.

Beyond official questions, surveyors gather precious informal feedback. Residents vividly recalled devastating “up to the roof” floods of 2008 and 2018. Their hope for NATURA was strong: they yearn for more job opportunities and a well-managed wetland system, often urging, “Please make it happen quickly!”

One household head said, “It means so much that you are coming right to our homes to ask us directly before making decisions. We truly hope this information helps to protect our village from floods.”

These honest conversations enrich our ESIA, ensuring solutions are rooted in people’s realities.

This ESIA survey is more than facts; it’s laying the foundation for a project truly designed by the people it serves.

By actively listening, NATURA ensures nature-based solutions will be effective and genuinely beneficial, enhancing climate resilience and safeguarding well-being for generations.

Ms. Souksakhone, ESIA Enumerator

ESIA team and participants from the Pilot survey

Quick Facts about ESIA Survey

Community Hopes: Economic uplift (markets, jobs, roads) and Wetland Management; Flood reduction secondary; Strong opposition to resettlement.

Feedback: Appreciation for direct consultation, vivid flood memories (2008/2018), and urgency for quick project implementation.

Mission: Survey ensures NATURA is designed by the people it serves, leading to effective, beneficial climate resilience solutions.

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Further information about the project: Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Adaptation in Lao PDR (NATURA) Phase I — Global Green Growth Institute