Quietly approaching and seeking to soothe pain, mend shattered dreams, share opportunities with disadvantaged people and communities in special circumstances, and silently spreading beautiful ideas to help society develop further… is what many people and organisations have quietly been doing, hoping to make society better.
The exhibition “A New Perspective on Development” held in Hanoi recently gave viewers a panoramic view of those beautiful dreams and ideals.
Sexual rights, Transparency, Climate change, The right of minority groups to be heard… are the main themes of the exhibition “A New Perspective on Development” – a large-scale display of social development initiatives that have been and are being carried out to help people and communities in special circumstances change their own lives.
From a poor family, to help her mother, little Tran Ngoc Linh (Quang Binh) had to go out into the world early to make a living. But at 17, Linh's dreams were almost shattered when she suffered a cruel accident while working in a handicraft workshop. Linh lost her left arm, and she and her mother fell into days of painful tears and despair.
“At that moment I just wanted to give up everything, just wanted to lie at home, surrounded by peeling walls, fearfully avoiding people's pitying, sympathetic looks. My dream of standing at the teacher's desk, of becoming a devoted teacher who loves children, now seemed further away than ever…” – Linh confided.
Tran Ngoc Linh at the final night of Beauty of the Waning Moon.
But Linh's life took a bright turn when she received encouragement from her family and relatives, and in particular the support and shared empathy of field staff from the Landmine Survivors Network (LSN), now the Association for the Development of People with Disabilities in Quang Binh province (AEPD). Linh passed the university entrance exam, then began living independently, went to work, became a volunteer and came to work at the Association for the Development of People with Disabilities (AEPD). Recently, Linh entered the Beauty of the Waning Moon contest and reached the top 10, full of confidence and radiance.
Linh's story is evidence of the new approach that Vietnamese civil society organisations have been taking: “Building the confidence and pride of disadvantaged groups so that they can help themselves”.
This is one of many stories shared at the A New Perspective on Development exhibition, held in Hanoi on 8–9 November. Centred on Transparency, Sexual Rights, Climate Change, and the Right of Minority Groups to be Heard, the exhibition, with 22 civil society organisations taking part, shared many issues as well as initiatives to address social development problems.
Some of the issues and initiatives on display at the exhibition:
New Light clinic of hope – a clinic set up to provide health care services for people with disabilities, especially in the field of reproductive and sexual health: for many people with disabilities, physiological needs and sexual rights seem a “luxury” because there are still many barriers and prejudices in society.
The online campaign “I Agree”: attracting more than 70,000 supporters, it aimed to add its voice to persuade National Assembly deputies to also agree to recognise same-sex marriage: living in a “monochrome” society – heterosexual rather than diverse in sexuality – only 2.49% of the 1.6 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are open about their gender identity, living true to themselves, while having love and sexual relations is one of the basic human rights.
The raised shelter: designed to create a safe and convenient refuge right in each family's familiar home. This is especially necessary for people with limited mobility, such as people with disabilities, elderly people, children and single women.
The fuel-saving wood stove: an improved wood stove, in two types, low and high, with features that help reduce harm to the environment and to users' health. Vietnam will lose USD 17 billion a year; 22 million Vietnamese people will lose their homes; 12.3% of total land area will be lost; and 45% of agricultural land will be submerged in sea water. These are the impacts that climate change could cause for Vietnam by 2100 if there are no positive solutions and actions right now.
Lawyers for people with disabilities: a friendly, free legal advice service for people with disabilities. Advice is given through the channels and at the places most convenient for people with disabilities: email, Facebook, at work, at a coffee shop, at the office, or at home. The advice helps people with disabilities understand better the policies for them and the procedures needed to benefit from them, so that they can access social services better and be more confident in bringing their voice to policymakers. The advisers focus not only on conveying legal information, but also on being friends with whom people with disabilities can share their difficulties in life.
The Democratic Forum on the Policies and Lives of Ethnic Minority People is an exchange between the authorities and the people on the effectiveness of support policies, as well as the advantages and difficulties in building and implementing policies for ethnic minority people. The forum helps people understand State policies better and express their wishes and opinions, helping the authorities gain a more realistic view in implementing and advising on policy-making for ethnic minority people.
Quynh Anh – http://vietnamnet.vn