New Page of Life

Ms. Cao Thi Lan Huong, 35 years old, with mobility impairment, currently lives in Cam Chinh commune, Cam Lo district, Quang Tri province. She was disabled since childhood; her legs were very weak. Due to her health conditions, she dropped out of school in 7th grade, just hanging around at home, doing housework to help her family and always carrying low self-esteem, guilt, and not wanting to communicate with everyone.

Ms. Cao Thi Lan Huong participated in a peer-to-peer counselling session on independent living for people with disabilities.

Since participating in independent living training organized by the project "Independent living for people with disabilities", she has better understood independent living, self-determination, and safe accessible home to develop herself and be attuned to society more. She also actively suggested supporting tools suitable for herself and participated in peer counselling organized by the project.

She actively learns about the model of Safe Access House in daily life to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities

“Fortunately, the project trusted me to participate in a training course for trainers on peer counselling. Through the training course, I got to know many brothers and sisters with more severe disabilities than me, I understood more about independent living and learned more about counselling skills from the lecturer and the older brothers and sisters. I felt very happy to meet and interact with many people with disabilities for the first time.” Since joining the project, she has consulted for 9 people with disabilities in Cam Lo district and helped teach 2 training courses on knowledge and skills for independent living for people with disabilities and their families, as well as independent living training sessions for officials working in relation to people with disabilities.

In addition, she enthusiastically participates in peer counselling at home for people with disabilities.

“Thanks to the project’s support, helping, and creating conditions for me to change myself and become what I am today. I hope there will be more projects like this so that people with disabilities like me can have the opportunity to change, live independently and live happily with society.” She happily shared.

She visited the independent lives of people with disabilities in the area

The project "Independent living for people with disabilities" is hosted by ACDC from March 2020 to December 2022 in 05 districts of Vinh Linh, Cam Lo, Trieu Phong, Hai Lang and Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province.