HÀ NỘI – A nationwide charity programme to support children with disabilities in 10 border provinces was launched in Hà Nội on May 31.

The programme, entitled 'Supporting children with disabilities to go to school', will be jointly implemented by the Vietnam Fund for Disabled Children and the Youth Union of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordination with the Vietnam Disabled Children Relief Association and the National Humanitarian Electronic Information Portal 1400.

The programme aims to raise funds from agencies, organisations and people nationwide for at least 1,000 gifts worth VNĐ2 million each (about US$78) for children with disabilities in difficult circumstances who are able and willing to attend school.

The gifts are expected to reach beneficiaries in the ten provinces of Cao Bang, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Quang Ninh, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Dak Nong on the new school year 2024-2025.

The annual programme provides continuous, long-term support for children with disabilities. The beneficiaries will receive the support from the time they go to school until they attend vocational training and earn their living by themselves.

According to statistics, as of December 31, 2023, the country had counted about 8 million people with disabilities, accounting for 7.06% of the population aged 2 years and older. Of them, there were nearly 2 million children with disabilities, or 28.3% of the total. The children with disabilities usually come from families with difficult circumstances, multidimensionally poor households and live in rural and remote areas.

Vietnam was the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and was the 118th member to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007. - VNS