On June 24, 2025, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of Son La, in collaboration with HealthBridge Foundation of Canada, organized a final workshop for the “Improving reproductive health and preventing child marriage in Nepal & Vietnam” project. The event took place in Son La city and brought together 85 participants representing national and provincial authorities, international organizations, schools, healthcare institutions, and local community groups. Distinguished guests attending the event included representatives from the Ministry of Health’s Maternal and Child Health Department and the Health Education and Communication Center, The Canadian Embassy to Vietnam, HealthBridge, and the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population. The workshop was also honoured with the presence of Son La provincial leaders from the Department of Education and Training, Department of Foreign Affairs, school teachers, community educators, and students.

The objectives of the workshop were to (1) present and review the project results; (2) share lessons learned from implementation; (3) discuss the findings from the project’s endline survey; and (4) propose strategies for sustainability and integration of the project into existing systems. The opening session of the workshop started off with a short video to highlight memorable moments from the project implementation and speeches from the Department of Maternal and Child Health (MoH), the Executive Director of HealthBridge – Ms. Sian Fitzgerald which was delivered online, and leaders from the Son La Department of Health.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Nguyễn Hữu Hùng, Vice Director of the Son La Department of Health, emphasized that the rate of early marriage reported in the province is likely just the "tip of the iceberg." Many cases go unreported or are hidden by families. He noted that many young couples cohabit, have children, and only register their marriage once they reach legal age. Mrs. Đoàn Thanh Phúc, Vice Director of Son La CDC, also expressed concern that maternal deaths in the province occur frequently among adolescent girls. Due to stigma and fear, many pregnant adolescents hide their condition and do not receive proper antenatal care. The project contributed to an important effort to raise awareness among communities in Son La about the negative consequences of early marriage and childbearing and strengthen the capacity of service providers to deliver high quality sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health services.

During the workshop, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Huấn, Project Manager from HealthBridge, presented the project’s achievements and highlighted some of the innovative and effective approaches adopted during the project, particularly the creative communication activities in schools and communities.

• Mobile outreach teams combining the strength of youth unions, women’s groups, and commune health stations reached communities in remote villages. Training for community educators enhanced their knowledge and the quality of services they deliver.
• Adolescents were placed at the centre of the project and actively participated in a wide range of project activities. In schools, students took an active role in preparing communication materials such as posters, putting on educational plays, and supporting teachers to organize comprehensive sexuality education sessions.

To hear from the project beneficiaries themselves, a panel discussion featured voices from youth representatives, communication teams, and schoolteachers on topics such as male engagement and peer education. Visual materials and posters created by students were displayed at the workshop, reflecting their perspectives and learnings on sexual and reproductive health.

To share the vision for moving forward, Ms. Đoàn Thanh Phúc presented a roadmap for sustaining and scaling up project achievements. Representatives from the National Health Education and Communication Center under the Ministry of Health expressed appreciation for the project and confirmed they will help disseminate successful materials and lessons learned nationwide.

The workshop concluded with open dialogue and collective reflections, reaffirming the strong commitment of local and national stakeholders to adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and to building on the momentum created by the project.