Italy - Vietnam - Italians build centres for disabled kids

The Italian Gruppo di Volontariato Civile (GVC) Organisation has built seven rehabilitation centers, valued at US$1.3 million, for disabled children in northern Bac Giang province.

The two-year project received S$1.19 million in sponsorship from the European Union, with remaining funds coming from the provincial budget.

Started in 2008, the project was aimed at helping disabled children integrate with their communities while improving their family lives.

According to the provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the province has an approximate 3,500 disabled children, most of whose families are too poor to afford hospital treatment.

The seven centres were built at hospitals situated in Tan Yen, Hiep Hoa, Luc Nam and Luc Ngan districts, the provincial rehabilitation hospital, the orphan sponsoring centre and the SOS Village.

Each centre will be equipped to care for 80-90 disabled children per year.

In addition, training courses will be organised to instruct medical staff employed at each centre.

To assist disabled children receiving treatment at home, 1,900 residents have also been trained in rehabilitation methods.

At present, the Luc Ngan district centre is treating five disabled children, three of them are showing excellent progress after only 10 months.

Ha Thi Sang, mother of one of the children, said that she usually had to travel around seven kilometres in order to take her child to the centre.

"Since receiving training, however, I am now able to also treat my child at home," she said.

Project Director Manlio Taglioli praised the centres' combination of oriental treatment with modern practises in caring for the disabled.

VNA

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