“Protecting, caring for and educating children with disabilities, and creating conditions for them to work to support themselves, help their families and society, and live integrated and equal lives in the community” is the highest goal of the Vietnam Association for the Relief of Children with Disabilities, which has now been operating for almost 20 years. Its current President is Labour Hero – People’s Teacher – Professor – Dr. Nguyen Tai Thu.
A vocational skills class for people with disabilities at Van Lang University. Photo: MAI NGUYEN
To date, the association has established three levels of local chapters (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Phu Yen), 66 branches under the central association and local associations, and 26 centres for the relief of children with disabilities (at district, provincial city and town level nationwide), as well as five commune- and ward-level homes for the relief of children with disabilities… The key centre, providing final-line treatment and rehabilitation for children with disabilities, is based in the Paediatrics Department of the Central Acupuncture Hospital. Speaking about the association’s tasks, its Vice President and Secretary General Nguyen Ba Thuyet highlighted mobilising and gathering support, assistance and sponsorship from organisations, collectives and individuals across society to run facilities providing free food, medical care, treatment, rehabilitation, literacy teaching, vocational training and employment for children with disabilities.
Throughout this journey full of compassion, patience and perseverance has been the quiet contribution, asking for no benefits and no pay, of 372 volunteer staff and members of the association (including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, traditional medicine practitioners, teachers, social workers, artists and artisans…) who volunteer to work directly every day at the association’s facilities to care for, treat and educate children with disabilities.
With effective work carried out in very difficult conditions, over almost 20 years the association has raised more than VND 28.3 billion in sponsorship from organisations at home and abroad, charitable activists, businesses… These include many foreign organisations such as Maryknoll, Atlantic Philanthropies (USA), Dragon Blue (Australia), Lev (Denmark), the Vitam Association (France), the International Women’s Club and many foreign embassies in Viet Nam. Thanks to sponsorship from these sources, the association has gradually been able to equip itself with specialist equipment and to expand its centres and relief homes.
As a result, more than 35,000 children with disabilities have received medical care, treatment, medicine and free food (during treatment), and rehabilitation using internal medicine methods such as acupuncture, massage, acupressure and physiotherapy at the association’s centres and relief homes. Of these, 3,376 children with disabilities in Dien Bien, Ha Giang and Lai Chau provinces have received food, education and rehabilitation. Five poor families with children with disabilities in Yen Bai province received five calves thanks to help from the Vietnamese community in Denmark. The association has donated 17,168 wheelchairs, hand-propelled tricycles and assistive devices for children and people with disabilities in Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa, Dong Thap, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City provinces.
Through persistent efforts, 2,300 children with disabilities have initially recovered and regained physical function. In addition, the association organises literacy and vocational training (rattan and bamboo weaving, lace embroidery, jewellery making, handicrafts, computing, music, painting, magic, water puppetry…) for hundreds of children with disabilities, helping them find work, earn an income to support themselves and gradually integrate into the community. Many of the children have gained confidence through their musical and magic skills and joined small travelling music and circus groups that regularly perform at entertainment and cultural venues and tea rooms in Ho Chi Minh City and many other provinces. In particular, 211 children with disabilities talented in painting have taken part in exhibitions and sold paintings at high prices.
PHU HOA – http://www.sggp.org.vn