HANOI, January 29, 2015 -- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced the video contest for vocational, college and university students. The contest aims to engage Vietnamese youth in addressing the country’s development challenges.

“Youth can contribute to and benefit from more prosperous communities and nations,” said USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia, Jason Foley, who announced the contest at the American Center in Hanoi. “Better understanding of youth’s ideas and approaches in addressing development issues will help USAID create programs that better support them, helping them to become part of the solution to today’s challenges.”

The contest invites Vietnamese students to create an original video that demonstrates a development issue in their community and propose a solution that they think could tackle it. Issues may be related to health, education, agriculture, climate change, pollution, women’s empowerment, small business assistance, support for LGBT and other vulnerable groups or others. The deadline for entry submission is April 28, 2015. USAID/Vietnam will select three winners, who will be presented with a MacBook Air (1st Prize), an iPhone 6 (2nd Prize) and a mini iPad (3rd Prize) along with certificates of recognition from USAID/Vietnam. The agency will announce the list of winners on June 5, 2015 and plans to hold an award ceremony. Details about the contest instructions and rules are available on USAID/Vietnam website (click here) and its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAIDVietnam or enquiring via email at pcdvietnam@gmail.com.

USAID programs in Vietnam support the country’s progress by focusing resources where they are needed most in health, private sector competitiveness, environment, social services for vulnerable populations and higher education. USAID’s Youth in Development Policy, issued in 2012, put forward an overarching goal for youth devel­opment along with related objectives and outcomes to be achieved. It strengthens the agency’s efforts to mainstream youth in development, carry out more effective programs, and ele­vate youth participation.