Hue city: Assessing accessibility conditions and equipment needs for persons with disabilities and agent orange victims

Participants included representatives from the Hue City OPD, the Vocational Training and Employment Center for Persons with Disabilities, ACDC, and the accessibility assessment consulting team. During the visit, representatives from all participating organizations conducted on-site assessments of the existing facilities and held discussions with the center's management and teachers to evaluate current accessibility conditions and identify equipment needs that would better support trainees' learning and daily activities.

The assessment also gathered information on the living conditions and accessibility of key facilities, including dormitory rooms, accessible residential toilets, the kitchen area, the covered common gathering area, and other related spaces. In addition, the team assessed the need for equipment to support vocational training, practical learning, and daily living for trainees who are persons with disabilities and Agent Orange victims.

Preliminary findings indicated that many accessibility-related facilities have deteriorated or been damaged after years of use, affecting trainees' learning and daily lives. The assessment also revealed that some vocational training equipment is either insufficient or no longer meets the instructional requirements of teachers and the practical learning needs of trainees. These findings will provide an important foundation for stakeholders to discuss and agree on solutions to improve accessibility, enhance the learning and training environment, expand employment opportunities, and promote the social inclusion of persons with disabilities and Agent Orange victims.

Mr. Tran Van Thanh, Director of the Vocational Training and Employment Center for Persons with Disabilities, shared: "The dormitory toilet facilities are our highest priority because they have seriously deteriorated, causing floor subsidence and significantly affecting the students' daily lives. In addition, the covered common gathering area has also been damaged, leaving it damp and unusable, especially with the rainy and storm season approaching. Today's assessment plays an important role in developing design proposals, identifying technical solutions, and determining the equipment needed to better support the trainees' learning and daily activities in the future. On behalf of the center, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Green Cross Switzerland Vietnam (GCCH), ACDC, and all relevant partners for their continued support and collaboration throughout the project."

In the coming period, the assessment results will be compiled and analyzed to develop detailed accessibility improvement designs for the center's facilities and to prepare a list of equipment to be procured and installed. All proposed solutions will be developed based on technical requirements, safety standards, and the actual needs of trainees in their learning and daily activities.

The activity was carried out under the project "Promoting Social Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities and Agent Orange Victims in Hue City", funded by Green Cross Switzerland Vietnam (GCCH). ACDC serves as the lead implementing organization, while the Hue City OPD and the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin are the local implementing partners.

Translator: Nguyen Dac Thanh