Disability Center in Vietnam (Phú Ninh, Quảng Nam)

The disability center is located in Phú Ninh, a rural town in the Quảng Nam province of Vietnam. For their first four years (2010-2014), the center was supported by a few organizations. During that time, there were 60 kids and 11 volunteers. Since then, the center has not had consistent funding requiring the volunteers to raise money on their own. Today, there are 51 kids and only 2 volunteers. The patients range from small kids to young adults, most with cerebral palsy or other forms of physical and mental disabilities. Thus, these disabilities prevent most kids to walk, communicate, and enjoy little things in life. The disability center allows the kids to come in every day from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm for physical therapy and free lunch.

Being in a rural part of a developing country, I knew the center would be in poor condition, but being there felt much different. The center is a small, open building, in a tropical and sticky environment with only a few fans and no AC. Throughout the day, the kids lay on woven cloth, with no beds. Due to their family's poverty, most kids are dropped off and picked up on scooter motorcycles which are dangerous because most kids do not even have the strength to crawl or walk. These kids were born in extremely rural areas far from any medical centers that could've treated their disabilities from earlier stages. Some hospitals can perform surgeries on the kids for free and have to be accompanied by two parents for the entire time. However, most surgeries last for months and most kids come from poor families (farmers and seasonal workers) who are unable to attend because of the need to provide for the rest of their entire family. Since getting any medical treatment is considered a dream for the kids, the dedicated volunteers and family members do the most that they can, often spending time at the center with them to help pass the time, cook, organize, and provide therapy.

Though they are well loved, their environmental conditions are very poor, so the least we can do is make it more comfortable for the kids and their families. Donations will be used for food, equipment, and any overall improvement of the disability center for the kids. PLEASE donate - a dollar can make a difference!