Quang Tri: Training on independent living and inclusion for persons with disabilities

On February 9-10, 2023, ACDC coordinated with the provincial Organization of Persons with Disabilities to organize training course on independent living and inclusion for approximately 70 persons with disabilities and their families in Gio Linh district and Quang Tri town. The activity’s aim is to raise awareness of independent living and inclusion for persons with disabilities and caregivers in Quang Tri province.

At the training session, participants were introduced to the accessible-safe house model at the ACDC office, and learned about the concepts of disability, inclusion and independent living, as well as the models and barriers of persons with disabilities, conditions and reasons why persons with disabilities should live independently. Particularly, the facilitators for the class include health professionals, OPD staff, and policy officials who have been equipped with knowledge and skills related to independence, disability inclusion and physical access through previous training courses. As a result, they were able to improve their knowledge and abilities when working with persons with disabilities. Following this, officials selected by the project will conduct home visits to provide counseling on independent living and physical access for persons with disabilities and their families.

The activity has received positive feedback from participants:

"This is the first time we have facilitated and presented in front of such a large crowd, so I feel extremely nervous. However, thanks to ACDC's careful support, we successfully completed the training today. This is a critical activity that not only allows us to practice new skills but also spreads a lot of useful information to persons with disabilities in the community." – Ms. B.T.H. - A policy official in Gio Linh district, shared

"For us, this is a new and fascinating experience. This made me realize that I needed to learn more about how to effectively work with and support persons with disabilities. Simultaneously, we expect the project to include extensive training sessions on working skills with persons with disabilities so that we can practice more," said Mr. P.C.H - Gio Linh District Health Center.

The activity is within the project "Raising voices, creating opportunities for persons with disabilities" phase II, funded by the United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID), and implemented by ACDC in three provinces comprising Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam.