United States Supports Vietnamese with Disabilities

Monday, October 13, 2008

HANOI, October 15, 2008 – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided over $2.6 million to extend two projects that aim to assist people with disabilities throughout Vietnamese society. These projects will be implemented by the Viet Nam Assistance for the Handicapped (VNAH) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

Over the next three years, VNAH will support government partners to finalize the first set of comprehensive laws on disabilities.  This $1.8 million, U .S.-funded program will also work to include accessibility language in regulations on information, communication and technology to improve access to information and social integration of all those with disabilities.   In addition, the project will assist in developing a second national action plan to bring disability issues to the forefront for government resources and planning. VNAH will help establish 10 provincial organizations for disabled persons.  

The second project implemented by CRS will expand a model of inclusive education for children at the secondary level and extend a successful program of international-standard computer training for students with disabilities. From October 2008 to June 2010, CRS will work with the Ministry of Education and Training and two technical colleges to reach over 1,000 students with disabilities and teachers throughout Vietnam.  CRS and Vietnamese partners will modify existing secondary school curricula and policies to meet the needs of children with all types and degrees of disabilities including help to students with educational activities and extra-curricular activities, and to graduate 150 students in software engineering courses, 80% of whom will gain permanent jobs in the IT sector.  Finally it will train 150 visually-impaired and other people with disabilities in basic computer skills.

Thanks in part to USAID-funded efforts such as these, more than 250,000 Vietnamese with disabilities are now enrolled in regular schools in their communities, including more than 70% of children in four focus provinces -- Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Quang Ninh and Quang Nam. Inclusive education allows children to remain with their families and communities, develop friendships and social skills with non-disabled peers, and develop skills that lead to lifetime employment and full participation in society.

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