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Early next year I will be moving to rural central Vietnam for two years, to work (through VSO) in two centres that provide therapy and support to children with disabilities and their families. This area is very poor, with a farming community not far above subsistence. Families with disabled children are doubly disadvantaged.

 

As a specialist paediatric physiotherapist, my role will be to

 

-         provide training and support to increase the skills and confidence of the centre therapy staff, families and community volunteers, who do a fantastic job working with the children to maximise their chances in life.

 

-         develop and support a parent’s forum, to hopefully strengthen their voice in raising issues that affect them. 

 

-         advocate for inclusion in education where it’s appropriate, and will be helping families and school staff work out the practicalities. In Vietnam, children have state subsidised education from age 6 to 11. Children with physical disabilities often have normal or above average intelligence, and many can learn as well as able-bodied children. In the region I am going to, between 70 – 80 % of physically disabled children cannot or do not access any education at all (here in the UK it is quite normal to find children with physical disabilities in schools and workplaces). Education is a key factor in escaping poverty.

 

VSO is a non-profit making, independent, international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries.

 

VSO's approach involves bringing people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action, and change lives to make the world a fairer place for all.

 

It costs VSO about £15000 a year to recruit, train and keep a volunteer like me in post overseas, so please, if you feel you can, donate some money to this fantastic organisation. Please see www.vso.org.uk for more information.

 

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