Disability Resources: Việt Nam | Vietnam
Children of Peace International (COPI) is a humanitarian organization dedicated to helping the people of Vietnam develop the capability to help themselves. Through the financial and material support of 14 orphanages, hospitals, and clinics, as well as two medical and dental care missions each year to poor rural areas, COPI offers hope and help, to those in need; over 6,000 children. COPI also provides scholarships, vocational training and medical training. The children of Vietnam are those most in need of help in this developing country still mired in poverty and recovering from many years of war. Children were the beginning and still are the primary focus for aid efforts of COPI.
Disability Resource and Development (DRD) is located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This organization is headed by Ms. Vo T. Hoang Yen, who has a Master’s Degree in Human Development from the U.S., and is steadily gaining a voice and a role as an advocate for programs for persons with disabilities. This group is organized as a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the full participation of, and equal opportunities for, people with disabilities in all spheres of society. People with disabilities have the same rights as other citizens to participate in their communities and to live a full and valued life, are in the best position to determine their own needs and goals for the future and given equal opportunities, can be effective community-builders. The DRD is interested in enhancing the disability - equality awareness of society members and people themselves, building groups/organizations of persons with disabilties and paving the way for the development of the training course on Social Work with people with disabilities at Ho Chi Minh City Open University.Hanoi Association of People with Disabilities (Tiếng Việt) | (English) is a social organization of people with disabilities in Hanoi City area, who come from any background, ethnicity, religion, gender, social status, causes of disabilities, and who are voluntarily willing to participate in any activities of the disabled and for the disabled. This organization provides assistance in overcoming difficulties in education, vocational training, and employment and raises awareness for an inclusive, barrier-free and equal-based society.
National Coordinating Committee on Disability of Vietnam (NCCD) was established in January 2001 under the Decision of the Minister of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA). Presently NCCD includes 28 members from 17 ministries and agencies, 2 organizations for and 3 organizations of persons with disabilities.
The NCCD promotes the implementation of objectives related to disability issues by relevant Ministries and agencies. In particular, in the last 5 years, NCCD has been promoting the implementation of 7 priority areas in the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action (BMF) and BMF + 5 and also the National Action Plan on Disability.
The NCCD raises awareness on disability issues, the BMF and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, gives recommendations on the modification of policies, standards and regulations on disabled persons and coordinates programs and resources in support to persons with disabilities in funding and technical support, works on resolutions from the United Nations, UNESCAP and other regional and international organizations to advocate and disseminate information to relevant agencies and organizations of and for persons with disabilities, works to develop a monitoring and evaluation tool (M&E) for the implementation of Biwako Millennium Framework for Actions (BMF) and the National Action Plan on Disable Persons in period of 2006 – 2010 and promotes the national organizations for people with disabilities of Vietnam.
Sao Mai Computer Center for the Blind (SMCC) (Tiếng Việt) | (English) was established to provide computer education and computer services to the blind in Vietnam. They are fighting the digital divide and providing know-how and access to knowledge through: computer education for the Blind, research on information technology and development of computer applications for the Blind, coordination with other institutions and concerned agencies to enhance the information technology standard of the Blind and establishment of information technology facilities and services. They offer free computer training, research, software development, preparation and implementation of projects, conferences, coordination and development of the Distance Computer Training for the Blind, promotion of ICT as a tool to improve the standard of living of the blind in Vietnam. For more information, contact this organization in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam via e-mail info@saomaicenter.org
Vietnam Association of Business Enterprises of Persons with Disabilities (VABED) has, in the five years since it was established, created jobs for more than 10,000 people, 70 percent of whom are disabled. The association has provided free vocational training at three training centres in Hanoi, Ha Tinh and Ho Chi Minh City for more than 1,600 war invalids and the disabled. To date, 80 percent of them have gained stable employment. The association has also contributed to the amendment of numerous government policies regarding the disabled.
Vietnam Blind Association has established 43 chapters in provinces and cities with a total of 60,000 members. It offers loans to its members and has established 318 workshops attracting over 4,000 members in employment. It offers workshops in IT. This organization examines and develops social policies for the disabled. Their focus is to encourage businesses to recruit disabled people, create suitable vocational training programs for visually impaired people and raise public awareness of measures to reduce poverty among them. Although all people who are blind benefit from health insurance and other state welfare programs, people who are blind and members of this organization, especially those living in rural and remote areas, have low living standards and poor skills, earning incomes lower than the state’s minimum salary. The association has focused on creating 1,000 new jobs per year to ensure that 80 percent of its trained members get jobs with a stable income