USAID Supports Rehabilitation Services in Binh Phuoc Province.

Nguyen Thac Phuong/USAID

Over last 30 years, the U.S. Government has contributed more than $126 million in assistance to persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Vietnam.  Since 1989, with the establishment of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF), USAID has worked to increase access to a wide variety of programs benefiting people with disabilities in conflict-affected countries. In Vietnam, U.S. assistance has helped to improve the quality of life of PWDs by addressing medical and social needs, improving disability policies, and reducing physical and social barriers.

USAID/Vietnam is currently focused on providing services for persons with severe disabilities in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange. This project is part of the U.S. Government’s efforts to address legacies from U.S.-Vietnam War. This work contributes to both countries’ efforts  to overcome the past, build trust, and strengthen bilateral relations. It enables continued security cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam and a strong relationship for the achievement of USAID’s other development objectives.

IMPACT

USAID disability projects have evolved over time, from providing direct humanitarian assistance such as prosthetic and orthopedic devices, to building a system that provides essential services to persons with disabilities, supporting disability policies and regulations, and strengthening advocacy for the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. These projects have contributed to the improvement of the quality of life of PWDs in Vietnam, with impact such as: 1) Direct support to over 30,000 PWDs in Vietnam; 2) Improved rehabilitation and social services for PWDs; 3) Improved disability policy and advocacy; and 4) Improved partners’ capacity in management, implementation, and activity support to persons with disabilities.

PROJECTS

USAID has a robust portfolio of activities working across eight provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange (Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, and Kon Tum), implemented by 10 local and international partners, covering a variety of services such as early childhood intervention, direct hospital-based and home-based interventions, and establishment of national guidelines and education programs. The newest $65 million project (2020-2024) falls under a Memorandum of Intent signed in April 2019 between USAID and the Office of the Steering Board for the National Steering Committee on Overcoming the Post-war unexploded ordnances and toxic chemicals consequences in Vietnam (Office 701), and witnessed by nine U.S. Senators, as well as a Limited Scope Grant Agreement signed with the  National Action Center for Toxic Chemicals and Environment Treatments (NACCET) in December 2019. This opens a new chapter of cooperative partnership between USAID/Vietnam and the Vietnam Ministry of National Defense.

• Advancing Medical Care and Rehabilitation and Education: aims to improve the quality of care and service delivery for persons with brain function impairments, build capacity for rehabilitation professionals, and strengthen rehabilitation training. 2015 – 2023; $10.3 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version [PDF] - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Disability Rights Enforcement, Coordination and Therapies: enhance disability rights and policies enforcement; Improve occupational therapy services and training. 2015 – 2023, $10.7 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version [PDF] - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Disabilities Integration of Services and Therapies Network for Capacity and Treatment Project: aims to provide early detection and early intervention services for children with disabilities (CWDs) under the age of six in Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc, and Dong Nai provinces. 2015 – 2022, $5.6 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version [PDF] - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Moving Without Limits: provide quality, appropriate assistive devices for PWD; Improve capacity for health practitioners; Promote assistive device services information and policy advocacy. 2015 – 2021, $7.9 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version [PDF] - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Accessibility For All: aims to improve PWDs’ physical access to buildings in Tay Ninh and Binh Dinh provinces. Raise awareness on disability rights; Establish and build the PWD self-help organizations’ capacity and advocacy efforts for improving accessibility needs. 2017 – 2020, $1 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version [PDF] - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Hold My Hand: develop a sustainable and expandable model to improve rehabilitation services and home-based care for persons with severe disabilities in Binh Dinh and Quang Nam. 2018 – 2021, $1.9 million. 
  (Fact Sheet: English version  - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• I-Thrive: aims to provide rehabilitation services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in Thua Thien – Hue and Quang Nam provinces. 2018 – 2021, $1.9 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version  - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities: improve public attitude towards disability rights, increase PWDs access to transportation and health facilities, promote independent living and full integration for PWDs in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, and Quang Nam provinces. 2018 – 2021, $1.9 million.
  (Fact Sheet: English version  - Vietnamese version [PDF])
• Inclusion: aims to improve the quality of life of PWDs in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange by expanding and improving rehabilitation and social services, enhance policy implementation, and building capacity for the counterparts.  Phase I: 2020 – 2022; $19 million     
• 2015-2023 Disability Programs Overview
  (Fact Sheet: English version  - Vietnamese version [PDF])

See our Project List

KEY GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM PARTNERS

• Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs
• National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET)

Videos

• USAID/Vietnam Staff and Partners Express Support for Sign Languages
• VTV4 Report: USAID Supports Vocational Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities
• Vietnam National Television Reports on USAID-Supported IT Training Program for People with Disabilities

Meet some of the persons with disabilities that have benefited from our programs:

• Persons With Disabilities in Vietnam Gain Greater Mobility
• Vietnamese With Disabilities Gain Professional Skills, Jobs
• No Child Left Behind: Vietnam Strengthens Special Needs Education
• Vietnam Opens Doors for Persons with Disabilities
• Training Puts Rural Girl with Disabilities on Path to Becoming an IT Professional
• New School Brings Hope to Disadvantaged
• Finding Encouragement, Being Included
• Realizing A Dream In “Me”

View some of our projects in action:

• Signing of the Memorandum of Intent for New Partnership on Disabilities Assistance
• USAID Supports Rehabilitation Services in Binh Phuoc Province
• Some photos of USAID's Moving Without Limits Project
• Alumni of IT Training Program for Person with Disabilities gather to share experience
• U.S. Congressional delegation attends a wheelchairs and hearing aids distribution event in Danang
• USAID commemorates International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2013 in Danang
• USAID supports persons with disabilities
• USAID provides equipment and services to persons with disabilities in Danang
• IT Training Program at Dong A University
• Opening of Rehabilitation Department for Children at Danang Women's and Children's Hospital and Wheelchair Distribution in Danang
• IT Certificate Award Ceremony for students with disabilities at Van Lang University
• USAID-supported IT training for persons with disabilities expanded to Danang
• Launch of program for employment for persons with disabilities