On December 1st, 2024, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), in coordination with the People's Committee of Trieu Phong district and the People's Committee of Trieu Dai commune, organized a communication on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (ND) on December 3, 2024, with the theme "Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future." 

There were more than 325 members from the district and commune People's Committees, five clubs of people with disabilities, and groups of parents of children living with disabilities in the project area with the following sessions: (i) Knowledge contest (answering 20 multiple choice questions and recommended solutions for practical situations referring to different articles in the Law on Disabilities of Vietnam, child protection and gender equality); (ii) Cultural performance exchange and (iii) group games for teams and Q&A for the participants (information of the project and International Day for Persons with disabilities). The results from various sessions with the message of proactive and positive participation, development opportunities, and the people with disabilities’ confidence in integrating into the community, 05 teams, and the participants who are members from 05 clubs, created and brought up a comfortable space full of fun and excitement.

Many participants eagerly shared their reflections as below: 

“This is my first time today participating in an activity with many people and many living with disabilities. I feel enjoyable and excited and hope to join again next time”. 

“The Q&A for the participants is very exciting, realistic, and simple such as asking about the project objectives, the names of the steering board’s members, project staff and the communes, the SRD and the donors, etc., through which many people who were less involved can also learn and get more information.” 

“It was stimulating. As a newly added commune in the third year and the host of the event today, all of us were impressed. There are still other unacted performances that the participants have prepared with the desire to share with everyone, due to limited time. Therefore, we are looking forward to having more activities like this so that our people with disabilities and their families have the opportunity to participate with gained confidence and for a better emotional life.” 

“The activities that the project has been implementing in the five communes have brought more inclusive space for people with disabilities, who would then become more active, more enjoyable in life, and better access learning opportunities and improving income for their families as well, especially children and girls living with disabilities in rural areas have had more opportunities to study and play than before”. 

“I find today's communication event very meaningful, enabling the stakeholders, especially the local government and local party committees, to better understand activities to support people with disabilities, thereby integrating and connecting with others as well as searching for and mobilizing resources to have more support for people with disabilities, so that people with disabilities have further opportunity to participate, integrate and confidently rise in life. Trieu Trung commune will be ready to host the communication event next year”. 

The communication activity in response to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was organized within the scope of the project " Together We Can " funded by Caritas Australia and DFAT through the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), period 2022-2027.