Since 2007, Cam Lam District Association for the Blind has been considered as warm home for its members...
Since 2007, Cam Lam District Association for the Blind has been considered as warm home for its members where they can be provided academic, vocational training and livelihood opportunities.
The blind and visually impaired have been engaged in different jobs such as giving healing massage, making bamboo toothpicks and binding brooms.
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| Members of Cam Lam District Association for the Blind can earn income from binding brooms. |
Cam Lam District Association has cooperated with some schools, churches, pagodas and state agencies to purchase the products. 7,800 brooms and 74,100 boxes of bamboo toothpicks have been sold out so far.
Beside the production of bamboo toothpicks and brooms, the association has also mobilized many sponsors to provide loans for its members to expand husbandry.
In addition, the association has created opportunities for 42 members to get loans from the national employment fund and Khanh Hoa charity fund to invest in production and business to improve their living standard. 100% of the members have been offered loans and all loan payment has been made on schedule.
Moreover, the association has called for donation to the fund for the blind. Gifts have been given to the members on national holidays. Since 2009, over 2,200 members have been offered gifts worth over VND390 million in total financed by charity individuals and organizations. 70 members have been offered monthly grants and social insurance cards.
The members have also been taught Braille, a tactile writing system used by the blind and the visually impaired. The association has attracted many new members, up from 20 in 2009 to 78 now. Khanh Hoa Association for the Blind has just awarded certificates of merit to members of Cam Lam District Association for the Blind for their excellent contribution to the association task, term 2009-2014.
However, the association still lacks facilities and products made by the blind meet consumer problems. Therefore, more concern and support are required to help the disadvantaged to effectively integrate into the community, according to Vo Ke Dien, Chairman of the association.
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