From 29 to 31 May, IDEA and staff of the Embassy of Finland made a monitoring visit to activities under the project: “Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in Vietnam” funded by the Embassy of Finland.
The purpose of the monitoring visit was to see the overall progress of the project and any adjustments needed.
The delegation visited households in the livelihood support programme and members with disabilities receiving assistive devices (crutches, splints, walking frames and wheelchairs) in Tan Cuong, Thinh Duc and Phuc Truu communes and Song Cong City, Thai Nguyen.
With each member and family we met many different unfortunate circumstances, but people with disabilities and their families had overcome difficulties to rise up in life. The most deeply moving case was that of Mr. Hop's family in Song Cong City; he is both father and mother in caring for three children with particularly severe mobility disabilities caused by Agent Orange exposure. The project gave his daughter a wheelchair so she could move around more easily. Mr. Hop was moved to thank us and happily told us that the wheelchair has many advantages: it is light and sturdy and suits his daughter's level of disability,… Most people were very happy, because now they have a “companion” as a means of transport, making their daily activities and lives more convenient, since many of the people with disabilities who received wheelchairs in this round are in very difficult circumstances.
Some people had been using crutches that did not fit their size. We also advised them on ways to use them more conveniently.
Through this visit to households of people with disabilities, we held a working meeting and put forward further plans to continue giving out assistive devices suited to each type of disability and to the right users.
Thu Trang