Catholic Relief Services: Guiding you on your journey to happiness

That is the wish and action of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) which has had many projects to support Vietnamese people with disabilities over the years.

Integrate to rise

Phan Ba ​​Quang (born in 2015 in Quang Tri ), is now confident in participating in group activities, folding clothes, arranging books neatly and completing many other tasks in daily life. These seemingly simple actions are a journey of effort for a boy with Down syndrome.

Ms. Luu Thi Hoai Linh, a teacher at Trung Nam Primary and Secondary School (Trung Nam Commune, Vinh Linh District, Quang Tri Province), who is also Quang's homeroom teacher, said: Quang had many difficulties in studying and living in the past. After completing the first grade program, he could only read and distinguish the two letters "o" and "i", confused the numbers from 1 to 10 and often forgot what he had learned. Socially, Quang had many difficulties in group activities, often screaming and getting angry.

In November 2023, thanks to the intervention of the Project "Enhancing social integration, health care, education and livelihood for people with disabilities" (I shine project) implemented by CRS, Quang received individual lessons from his homeroom teacher with special educational methods. Quang also joined the I shine club at school. This is where Quang interacted, learned, and received help from teachers, friends, and seniors. Thanks to that, he developed social skills, improved communication, made more friends, and had many new experiences.

In addition, the Project organizes intensive training courses to equip teachers with more knowledge and skills on teaching methods for students with disabilities; maintains a Caregiver Club for children with disabilities, where parents share experiences and receive practical support. The Project also supports Quang's family with a cow to help improve their livelihood and quality of life.

Quang (right) participates in group activities at the Shining Club. (Photo: CRS)

Ms. Linh said that after more than 1 year of participating in the Project, Quang has made remarkable progress. He has learned how to hold a pen correctly, can move to the rhythm of songs, recognize more letters and numbers, correctly name some plants, animals, school supplies, etc. Quang also understands and performs well the requirements from the teacher, gradually develops teamwork skills, knows how to cooperate with friends in common activities and no longer screams or gets angry.

“The project has brought comprehensive impacts not only to Quang but also to his family, school and society. Thereby, it has created a foundation to help Quang have more motivation to rise up, develop his abilities, become an independent individual and contribute to society,” said Ms. Linh.

Laying the foundation for the future

Ms. Dinh Thi Nguyet, Disability Support Program Manager, CRS organization, said that the Shining Project, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Caritas Australia through CRS organization, was implemented in Vietnam from August 2019, expected to end in May 2027 in the two provinces of Quang Tri and Quang Nam . The project aims to enhance social integration, health care, education and livelihoods for people with disabilities through joint local actions.

According to Ms. Dinh Thi Nguyet, CRS has been involved in supporting the enhancement of integration and quality for people with disabilities in Vietnam for over 20 years. The Shining Project, implemented since 2019, has worked with partners to bring about changes for 395 people with disabilities, including 196 disabled children in Hai Lang and Vinh Linh districts, Quang Tri province, through educational activities, medical support, and improved household income through livelihood activities, vocational training and employment for young people and women with disabilities.

In addition, 150 disadvantaged households with disabilities were supported with livelihoods and expanded income sources to better care for the disabled. Nearly 500 teachers, health workers, officials of departments, and organizations at district and commune levels were enhanced with knowledge and skills in supporting the disabled through training courses organized by the project; nearly 350 parents and caregivers were enhanced with knowledge and skills in health care and education for children and youth with disabilities.

Home-based classes for disabled children organized by CRS. (Photo: CRS)

Ms. Dinh Thi Nguyet said that in the coming time, CRS will continue to implement activities to support people with disabilities and their families. Some priority areas include: providing direct support in education, health care and safety for people with disabilities; supporting families of people with disabilities to access livelihood initiatives to improve their income; equipping care skills for people with disabilities and home-based teaching skills for caregivers. At the same time, the project will continue to improve the capacity of stakeholders to ensure sustainability in providing support services for people with disabilities.

CRS is a US-based non-governmental organization. Operating in Vietnam since 1994, CRS has supported communities in Vietnam to move towards a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive life. CRS is currently implementing activities in 4 main areas, including: Disaster risk management and reduction; Climate change mitigation and adaptation; Mine action; Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities. In 2023, CRS Vietnam directly supported 720,000 people and indirectly supported 2 million people nationwide.

a1 Home-based class for disabled children organized by CRS. (Photo: CRS)

a2 Quang (right) participates in group activities at the Shining Club. (Photo: CRS)

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/catholic-relief-services-diu-ban-tren-hanh-trinh-hanh-phuc-209821.html