Sharing vision - Bringing Empowerment

Award announcement on USAID support to persons with disabilities in Quang Tri Province

  • Perform: Tue Chi (Translator: Nhan Nguyen)
  • 01/09/2021
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  • Views: 1789

On the morning of September 1, 2021, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Quang Tri Province People’s Committee, and Ministry of Defense’s National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) announced two USAID awards to support persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Quang Tri Province.

The event was attended online by Ms. Ann Marie Yastishock, Director of USAID; Mr. Hung Duc Tran, Deputy General Director of NACCET; Mr. Thanh Van Dang, Standing Vice Chairman of Vietnam Association of PWDs; Mr. Minh Hung Tran, Director of Center for Creative Initiatives on Health and Population (CCIHP); Ms. Lan Anh Thi Nguyen, Director of Action to the Community Development Institute (ACDC) and staff members of organizations participating in the project. On Quang Tri Province’s side, the participants include Mr. Nam Hoang - Vice Chairman of Quang Tri Province People's Committee - as the Chairman, leaders of Provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, Provincial Department of Health, Provincial Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Provincial Department of Transport, Quang Tri Province Association of PWDs, Agent Orange Victims, Sponsoring PWDs and Protecting Children’s Rights and press agencies.

Online Award Announcement on USAID Support to PWDs in Quang Tri Province

Two USAID awards announced in the event include: 1) “Improved quality of life of PWDs in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange” (INCLUSION-I) project implemented by CCIHP; and 2) “Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities - II” implemented by ACDC. Regarding the awarded project, Ms. Lan Anh Thi Nguyen, Director of ACDC said: “The “Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities - II” project will follow the achievements of the “Creating Opportunities and Empowering PWDs” project over the past 3 years. It continues to support PWDs, disabled people’s organizations as well as local organizations in building the capacity of implementing PWDs-related policies, involving issues about PWDs’ rights, physical access, gender-based violence, legal advice and building the capacity of local organizations to implement policies and monitor policy implementation. The obtained results will contribute to the amendments and supplements to current policies and legislation in order to support PWDs in independent living and social integration.” 

The depth and breadth of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership for the past years has been the result of decades of hard work and perseverance from both sides. Positive trends in the relationship today can be traced to collaborative efforts to resolve legacies of war. According to USAID, from 1989 to date, US$126 million in war legacy funds have been committed by USAID to Vietnam to address the needs of PWDs in communities in areas sprayed with Agent Orange. Over the next three years, in the central provinces of Vietnam, USAID will add US$6.9 million under the “INCLUSION-I” project and nearly US$2 million under the “Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities-II” project to assist PWDs, regardless of cause. These projects are funded with US government foreign assistance funds, provided by the American people under the 2005 Bilateral Agreement for Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Speaking at the announcement event, Director of USAID, Ms. Ann Marie Yastishock, highlighted Quang Tri Province’s strong leadership and esteemed collaboration in bilateral development projects, and stressed the importance of the partnership between USAID and NACCET in managing the “INCLUSION” project. “By strengthening local capacity and mobilizing local resources, the “INCLUSION” project represents a concerted effort by USAID to partner with local organizations as prime awardees, and together with sub-implementers, reinforcing USAID’s objective to work with the Government of Vietnam and local partners to achieve sustainable results.” Under the “Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities-II” project, all parties will “continue to generate positive changes in awareness and attitudes towards PWDs, and strengthening institutions and policies to remove barriers to inclusion of PWDs. Key interventions will include improving physical accessibility, access to health care and other social services, facilitating engagement in social life, and advocating disability equality and disability rights.”

Representatives of leading agencies, organizations and staff members attending the Award Announcement

Mr. Hung Duc Tran, Deputy General Director of NACCET stated: The “Improved quality of life of PWDs in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange” project received Prime Minister’s approval of Project Policy in Decision No. 1276/QĐ-TTg dated July 20, 2021 with a total estimated budget of up to $65 million and the Government of Vietnam’s counterpart funding of 75 billion VND (approximately US$3.2 mi.) for project activities during the period of 2021-2026 in 8 provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange. Particularly, Quang Tri Province is among key project sites with the high number and prevalence of PWDs in the whole project.

On behalf of the local authorities and the people of Quang Tri Province, Vice Chairman of Quang Tri Province People’s Committee, Mr. Nam Hoang highlighted the significance of organizing the online award announcement on USAID support to PWDs in the context that the U.S. Vice President, Ms. Kamala Harris has just finished her fruitful visit to Vietnam, strengthening the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the United States of America, for the mutual benefits of peoples of the two nations, for peace, security, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.

“Quang Tri Province is glad to continue its collaboration in implementing USAID-funded projects to support PWDs in improving the quality of life of PWDs by promoting health and social services, improving policies and enhancing the capacity of the local agencies and organizations in project management and implementation to support PWDs.”


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