Japan funds dormitory for disabled children

The Japanese Government gave US$95,476 to the central province of Quang Binh for a project as part of an ongoing assistance program in a meeting at the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam on November 18.

The Japanese Government gave US$95,476 to the central province of Quang Binh for a project as part of an ongoing assistance program in a meeting at the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam on November 18.

H.E. Mr. Yasuaki Tanizaki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Viet Nam, and Mr. Nguyen Xuan Trien, Director of Dong Hoi Center for Disabled Children, signed the grant contract for “The Project for Constructing a Dormitory at Dong Hoi Center for Disabled Children”.

Quang Binh was severely destroyed by bomb and Agent Orange; therefore rate of disabled children who are “agent orange victims” is really high. The Duc Ninh Center for Disabled Children (former Dong Hoi Center for Disabled Children) was set up in 1990 to provide primary education and vocational training for children with hearing or speaking disabilities or those who are metal deficient.

Some 29 hearing and speaking disabilities, 3 visual impaired, 42 mental deficient children (total 74 children) in the age of 7 to 15, who cannot go to normal school, are studying at the center. The center also provides vocational training to disadvantaged kids.

The Dong Hoi Center for Disabled Children with 10 rooms was built in 2003. However, they are now too small to meet the needs of rehabilitation activities. Furthermore, there are 36 pupils staying at the center, but there are only 3 rooms; therefore, these children have to share very crowded rooms. In 2009, the center could only receive 20 out of 90 applicants because of the shortage in classrooms and facilities for boarding.

Under this circumstance, the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province will provide state budget to build 2 floor building to be used as classrooms while the Government of Japan has decided to grant an aid to purchase necessary materials to build two floor six room building to be used as a dormitory for Dong Hoi Center for Disabled Children.

Mr. Yasuaki Tanizaki hoped the project would help student better studying.

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