Provincial Association for the Blind cares for female members and children

Hai Hau Blind Association makes bamboo toothpicks to increase income for members.

The Women and Blind Children Working Committee at all levels in the province has focused on strengthening and perfecting its forces, organizing a variety of activities to care for blind women and children. Thanks to the effective activities of the Committee, the whole province has 572 female members of working age who are always interested in career guidance and job creation; hundreds of female members are trained in a variety of professions such as: acupressure massage, informatics, making bamboo toothpicks, weaving brooms, handicrafts, animal husbandry, etc. After learning the profession, they are given the opportunity to work at home or at the Association's concentrated production facilities with an average income of over 2 million VND/person/month. District and city associations all have concentrated bamboo toothpick production facilities and always prioritize job creation for blind women.

Massage and acupressure is a key profession for blind members in general and female members in particular, with 315 women working. Most of them work at collective service establishments opened by the association at all levels or at private businesses, earning an income of 4-7 million VND/person/month. Many members have boldly opened massage and acupressure establishments, not only to increase their income but also to create jobs for many other members. Typically, the establishments of Ms. Nguyen Thi Nham (Truc Ninh), Tran Thi Nhung (Nam Truc) and Nguyen Thi Mui (Xuan Truong) earn hundreds of millions of VND in revenue each year.

In addition to vocational training, cultural and artistic activities are also focused on. Responding to the contest "Women are confident in doing business" launched by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union, the Women's Union of Nam Dinh city represented the Women's Union of the province to participate and won the third prize. In order to equip knowledge on preventing and handling gender-based violence, the Women's Union of Nghia Hung district has implemented the project "Preventing gender-based violence for women and children with visual impairments" with funding from the ABILIS Fund (Finland). In addition, many grassroots organizations have coordinated with the Women's Union at all levels to organize meetings, seminars and propaganda activities to eliminate discrimination against women with disabilities, raise awareness about gender, prevent domestic violence, life skills, motherhood and reproductive health care. Thanks to the joint efforts of society, many charity houses have been built for female members in difficult circumstances. In 2024, the Central Association's Shelter of Love Fund supported 50 million VND for Ms. Tran Thi Thu Ha (HNM, Truc Ninh district) to build a house to help her have a stable and secure place to live.
labor.

For visually impaired children, the Women's and Blind Children's Working Group regularly reviews and registers them to attend Braille and rehabilitation classes; surveys children who need to use Braille textbooks to send to the Central Association. In addition, the Association also guides children to participate in the "Sowing Seeds of the Soul" contest organized by the Central Association; coordinates with the Department of Education and Training to support children in pre-integration studies. Currently, some children have participated in integrated studies at schools, the rest are participating in integrated studies and cared for at the provincial HNM center. Every year, at the beginning of the school year, the provincial HNM and district and city associations coordinate with the provincial Education Promotion Association to organize scholarships in the form of bicycles and cash for children of visually impaired members with excellent academic achievements. On the occasion of International Children's Day June 1 and Mid-Autumn Festival, HNM at all levels organized meetings, played games, and gave gifts to encourage the children's spirit.

Comrade Tran Xuan Duong, Chairman of the Provincial Women's Union, said: "In the coming time, the Union will continue to encourage and create conditions for women to learn to read and write, learn a trade, develop more suitable occupations, support livelihoods, help members have jobs and stable income. At the same time, the Union will recommend competent authorities to resolve social protection regimes, introduce appropriate support policies, help members in general and female members in particular reduce difficulties, improve their lives, and contribute to building happy families."

Article and photos: Thanh Hoa

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202504/hoi-nguoi-mu-tinh-quan-tamcham-soc-hoi-vien-nu-va-tre-em-b642d12/