S-CODE was set up as a result of community development work undertaken by the international NGO Population and Development International (PDI) in Vietnam from 1983 to 2005.
In the spirit of excellence in leadership inspired by PDA, a team of Vietnamese staff, with the support of PDI, decided to take over the activities of PDI, creating a locally based organisation which delivers locally owned projects using local capacity.
At S-CODE, we have built on PDI's vision and values, adapting them to the Vietnamese context. Working on a wide range of poverty reduction and health improvement projects, our commitment is to work in partnership with local, regional and national organisations building local ownership and capacity.
Our relationships and partnerships extend across Vietnam and internationally. Our partnerships include the Vietnam Central Women's Union (VWU) and the Vietnam Central Youth Union (VYU), as well as Provincial Women's Unions (PWU's) the Rockefeller Foundation, Family Planning Australia, the Norwegian Church Aid, the McKnight Foundation, AusAID, New Zealand Embassy and Finland Embassy.
Board of Directors are voluntarily affiliated to the organisation, the board members include well-known experts in the areas of community development, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, sexual health and child development.
S-CODE is managed by an Executive Board, which consists of 4 founding members, including persons with expertise ranging from economics, international relations, biology and medical doctor professions. The majority of staff have worked as senior members of international NGOs and donor organizations. The founding members' experiences in development work cover a wide range of issues including integrated community development, child development, health and gender as well as project management and training.