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Healthy food, strong women and equal opportunities
New plans to strengthen our nutrition program
In Nong and Sepone, two municipalities in the province of Savannakhet, Laos, a lot of work has been done in recent years to improve the food situation and food security. With the support of partners and donors, vegetable gardens, chickens and fish ponds, school canteens were created, and information about healthy nutrition for pregnant women and mothers was shared.
These structural changes have a positive influence on the position of girls and young women. According to the traditional division of roles, the daughters look after the younger children and the women work on the land. Men make almost all decisions, including about food. As a woman, giving your opinion or learning something for your future is often not accepted. As a result, the position of women in this poor, remote area remains vulnerable and they remain dependent on their husbands.
600 women and girls
MCNV has made a plan to give extra support to 600 women and girls from ten villages in Sepone in the field of organization and entrepreneurship. The women learn which crops are suitable, when to plant and harvest and to sell them at the market. They are allowed to participate in decisions about financial matters such as the purchase of manure, seeds and fish feed. It gives the women self-confidence and a place in the community. The men are involved in the program to experience that the family and specifically nutrition is a joint responsibility.
Many girls from the villages in Sepone now do not go to school because they have to take care of their younger brothers and sisters. As a result, they miss the opportunity to learn to read, write and count. We hope with this program to change the situation, so that girls can go to school to learn and develop.
The program will contribute to good nutrition for pregnant women and their children, but aims especially to strengthen young girls and women, who can look forward to a healthy and equal future through education and more knowledge. We want to go there together with you!
Thank you very much for your (extra) contribution!
Sincerely, Sivone Mouanaotou
MCNV Program Manager in Laos
WWF’s trip to PROSPER project site
On a native forest nursery of Son Nguyen Cooperative
On the 18th on June 2022, a delegation from WWF-UK and WWF-Vietnam paid an exposure visit to the sites of the “Promoting Sustainable Partnership between CSOs and Enterprises for Sustainable Forest Management in the Context of Climate Change” (PROSPER) project co-funded by the EU and MCNV in Huong Hoa district of Quang Tri province.
The visiting program was to reinforce the implementation of the Cooperation Framework Agreement dated the 15th of December 2021 between MCNV and WWF for PROSPER and Projects/Programs under Forest Practice of WWF-Viet Nam in Central Annamites Landscape (CAL).
By synergizing bilateral resources to make greater contributions to sustainable forest management, the Agreement focuses on the following areas: (i) Improving and maintaining the FSC® forest certification system of Association of Quang Tri’s Smallholder Forest Certification Groups (SFCGs); (ii) Promoting market linkages between smallholders and processing companies in relevant supply chains such as FSC certified bamboo and rattan, and other NTFPs; (iii) Supporting in potential business models for developing the bankable projects on bamboo, medica herbs and so, to access to the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) and Landscape Resilience Fund (LRF); and (iv) Developing project proposals on forest restoration by planting native species and non-timber trees for climate resilience while enhancing the livelihood of local people, etc./.
Exposure visit to PROSPER project sites for designing Education Tour on Nature and Environment
Delegates talking with an ethnic coffee producer on his agro-forestry farm
On the 14th of June 2022, a joint delegation of Gesellschaft für Agrarprojekte (GFA) Consulting Group, Deutsche Forstservice GmbH (DFS) and Forest Science Center for North of Central Vietnam (FSCV) paid an exposure visit to the PROSPER project sites co-funded by the EU and MCNV in Huong Hoa district of Quang Tri province, Vietnam.
The delegates visited agro-forestry coffee models, investigated material areas of non-timber forest products, and joined in an experience tour to tourist destinations in Chenh Venh village of Huong Phung commune, which has been recently known as Vietnam’s first-ever FSC® certified natural forest managed by the community.
The purpose of the visit is to assess the possibility of designing and implementing a tourist service on nature and environmental education attached with sustainable forest management in the area. The trip was expected to usher in new opportunities for exploiting the strengths and potentialities of the local, particularly community-managed eco-tourism./.
MCNV looking for 02 two-month full time interpreters and translators to work in HCMC and Hai Duong
Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam (MCNV) is looking for 02 two-month full time interpretation and translation consultants to provide interpretation and translation for bachelor of speech and language therapy students and their clinical supervisors during their clinical placements in Hai Duong, Ho Chi Minh city from in June, July and August 2022.
Detailed information is as below:
JOB DESCRIPTION OF 02 ONE-MONTH FULL TIME INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION CONSULTANTS FOR CLINICAL INTERNSHIPS OF THE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY MASTER GRADUATES IN HCMC AND HAI DUONG
A COMPONENT OF THE SALT EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROJECT BY MCNV IN VIETNAM
Budget line: Sub-Act. Sub-Act.BS4- an additional activity: post-graduate supervised clinical internship for MSALT graduates
Job Summary and Job Title
Consultants will work as full time interpreters and translators in two months of time to provide English – Vietnamese interpretation and translation for the Master graduates of Rehabilitation Techniques with Specialization in Speech and Language Therapy (MSALT Graduates) when they do their clinical internships onsite at clinical hospitals. This is a learning activity within the MSALT course by the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh (UMP HCMC) city in collaboration with MCNV under the DISTINCT project by VietHealth/USAID and with technical consultancy and technical human resource from Trinh Foundation Australia (TFA).
The Consultants will work directly with a Project team including: 1) MCNV’s Project Coordinator; 2) the Head of Rehabilitation Department at either UMP HCMC or Hai Duong Medical Technical University (HD MTU).
Duration of time and Workplace
The Consultants will work maximum 8 hours per day for 40 days directly in health settings, from July 4th to the end of September 1st, 2022. One consultant will work in HCMC and one will work in Hai Duong. Detailed work plans for each of the two positions will be provided.
Payment Range
Payment is mutually agreed and shown in a Consultancy Contract between MCNV and each Consultant.
Specific tasks and responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Project team, especially MCNV’s Project Coordinator, the Consultants will work closely with international clinical supervisors and be responsible for doing (but not limited to) the main tasks as follow:
Interpret English – Vietnamese – English for all communications between all involved parties including Vietnamese MSALT graduates, Vietnamese patients, etc. and their international clinical supervisors when the MSALT graduates work face-to-face onsite with the patients at hospitals for their clinical internships and under direct clinical supervision by their international clinical supervisors, following schedules agreed by the involved parties;
Interpret English – Vietnamese – English for all offline and online discussions/meetings/working sessions between the MSALT graduates who do their clincal internships with their international clinical supervisors when needed;
Translate teaching and learning documents when necessary and/or students’ written examinations and assignments from English to Vietnamese and vice versus.
General Requirements
The following requirements must be met for this position
a. Knowledge and skills
A minimum 02 years of proven track record in providing translation and interpretation in medical and health settings and in speech and language therapy;
Have knowledge and understanding of speech and language therapy and education;
Have knowledge about university education;
Have knowledge and skills in interpretation in clinical placement in health settings.
b. Education
Essential: Bachelor degree in English language;
Trained in interpretation and translation in medicine and speech and language therapy;
Essential: training in interpretation and translation in medicine and/or SALT.
c. Experience
Essential:
Have experience in interpretation in clinical placements in health settings;
Have experience in online meeting interpretation;
Have experience in interpretation for clinical practice supervisions;
Have experience in working in teams and individually;
Desirable:
Experience in working in universities and health settings in Vietnam;
Have experience in working with SALT international teachers/volunteers;
d. Working skills and attitude
Be available and willing to work at night time and weekend time as per the requirements of the training course’s schedule;
Have good communication and interpersonal skills;
Have ability to work both autonomously and as part of a culturally diverse and multidisciplinary team;
Be open minded for discussion and sharing;
Be flexible and resourceful;
Be motivated to work towards the objectives of the project;
Be able to work independently and in a constructive way in a team;
Be organized, able to work according to deadlines;
Have good organizational and time management skills;
Have good computer literacy and proficiency with Microsoft Office, Skype, Zoom, and various platforms such as Google docs…;
Be willing to travel to other towns/provinces according to the needs of the work.
e. Languages: Excellent spoken and written English.
How to apply
Interested candidates are advised to send their Letter of Interest, CVs and payment proposals to thuy.nguyenthanh@mcnv.vn before 5.00pm VN time on 05/6/2022. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.
Continuing Medical Education on the provision of home-based rehabilitation services
PhD.MD.To Muoi, Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital speaks at the opening ceremony.
In 3 days, May 20-22, 2022, in Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, MCNV and Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP) jointly organized a continued medical education (CME) course on the provision of home-based rehabilitation (rehab) services for 20 trainees who are doctors, nurses, rehab technicians of the Department of Rehab, Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital.
In the 3-day training course, necessary knowledge and skills of the trainees’ were enhanced to provide comprehensive home-based rehab services following multi-disciplinary approach with the four-step process: assessing and identifying intervention objectives, making intervention plans, conducting interventions and evaluating post-intervention results.
The training course was structured with diverse and highly practical contents, including: guidelines on organizing and implementing home-based rehab services, theory lessons combining with group discussions and clinical practice activities on multi-disciplinary rehab, tools of functional performance assessment.
Particularly, the trainees had chances to practice steps in providing home-based rehab services for 2 patients in Ai Nghia town, Dai Loc district. These activities are all conducted through the collaboration of multi-disciplinary team, consisting of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists.
After 2 training days of theory and clinical practice at the hospital, participants were divided into four groups and practiced 2 out of 4 steps in providing home-based rehab services which are: assessment, setting intervention objectives and making intervention plans for two cases: a female patient with marrow paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and a male patient with paralysis caused by stroke sequela.
In giving closing speech for the training course, MSc.MD. Pham Dung, Country Director of MCNV Vietnam commented: Overall, the trainees are now able to distinguish the differences in the provision of home-based rehab services and hospital-based rehab services, and perform the four-step process in a logical sequence, in alignment with multi-disciplinary rehab approach and in the meantime, their understandings of rehab has become more holistic.
MSc.MD. Pham Dung also emphasized the principle of “PwDs-centered view” and reminded the trainees about the importance of interacting and collaborating with PwDs’ families to provide smooth and effective home-based rehab services.
The 3-day training course is a preparatory activity prior to the implementation of home-based rehab services delivery model under the Inclusion 1 Project, funded by US Agency for International Development (USAID) with the overall objective of improving PwDs’ quality of life. The project managing agency is the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) under the Chemical Command, the Ministry of Defense; a project’s management awardee is the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP). All 20 trainees will receive CME certificates granted by Hue UMP.
After the course, the trainees will conduct screening examination for 300 PwDs in commune of Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, of which 200 PwDs with mobility disabilities will be provided with home-based rehab services by multi-disciplinary teams of Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital./.
Inclusion 3 project kicked off in Tay Ninh province
In late May 2022, the National Action Center for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), under the Ministry of National Defence, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Health of Tay Ninh province jointly held a conference to launch the component in Tay Ninh province of the Inclusion 3 project.
The conference was attended by representatives of the management awardee – the Centre for Social Initiatives Promotion (CSIP) and project implementation awardees, including MCNV, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped (VNAH), Sustainable Health Development Centre (VietHealth), Hoang Duc Education Consulting Company, Disability Research and Capacity Development Center (DRD).
Implemented in the period from 2021-2026, the Inclusion project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with NACCET being the managing agency, is implemented in 8 provinces: Quang Tri, Thua Thien – Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Binh Dinh, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai.
In Tay Ninh, the project will provide direct support to 7,500 people with disabilities, of which 75% will be benefited from the increase of quality of life indicators (approximately 5,625 people).
The overall goal of the project is built on four objectives: expanding healthcare, rehabilitation and social services, improving policies and public attitudes, reduce barriers, ensure social inclusion of PwDs and strengthening the capacity in managing and implementing activities to support PwDs at all levels of relevant departments.
At the conference, the participants exchanged the information on the implementation of project activities as planned, discussed and approved on the mechanisms of collaboration, coordination, planning and reporting of stakeholders during the implementation process in Tay Ninh province, ensuring the completion of the project objectives in terms of quality, quantity and timing.
As one of the implementation awardee, MCNV will contribute to improving the quality of rehabilitation services in Tay Ninh province through clinical skills training to 15 rehabilitation staff (12 physiotherapists – PT, 3 speech and language therapists – SALT) for a period of 6 months (June 2022 to December 2022).
The training will be carried out in the form of matching 01 coach with 01 coachee or in groups (maximum number of 3 coachees), with a coaching program tailored for each individual coachee.
SALT coaching is conducted online while PT will be coached using both face-to-face approach and virtual platform.
It is expected that after completing the training course, 15 rehabilitation technicians and practitioners will be able to provide quality rehabilitation services to 540 patients and 129 PwDs and improve the functions for 100 of these PWDs./.
9-month course in Occupational Therapy jointly launched by MCNV & Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy
A 9-month course in Occupational Therapy (OT) was jointly launched by MCNV and Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP) on May 16th, 2022 in Hue City (Thua Thien – Hue province).
The launching ceremony was attended by representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Board of Directors of Hue UMP; lecturers and 34 trainees who are nurses, rehabilitation technicians and physicians working in hospitals and health facilities in the provinces of Thua Thien – Hue, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Kon Tum and Binh Dinh.
The course is part of the Inclusion 1&2 projects, sponsored by USAID with the overall objective of improving the quality of life of people with disabilities (PwDs). The project’s managing agency is the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) under the Chemical Command, the Ministry of Defense. Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP) and Center for Community Health Research and Development (CCRD) are two management awardees of Inclusion 1&2 projects.
As the implemention awardee, MCNV works to achieve the objective of developing the new manpower to participate in the profession of rehabilitation.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Prof. PhD. Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy, Rector of Hue UMP, expressed his appreciation for the substantial support of the Projects for Hue UMP in general and for the Department of Rehabilitation in particular in building capacity, developing expertise and providing necessary infrastructure for clinical practice of OT courses.
Prof. PhD. Nguyen Vu Quoc Huy also emphasized the importance of OT in the multidisciplinary rehabilitation model, along with other therapies such as physical therapy (PT), speech and language therapy, psychotherapy, nursing care as well as other specialties in improving health and quality of life of PwDs.
On behalf of the project management and implementation awardees, MSc.MD. Pham Dung, Country Director of MCNV Vietnam noted the important role of this 9-month training course and the indispensable contributions of Hue UMP and the trainees.
In his speech, MSc.MD. Pham Dung highlighted the significance of the course to the improvement of local rehabilitation system. The trainees were among the first receiving OT training in Vietnam. MCNV and local health facility leaders deeply believe in the trainees’ efforts to successfully complete the course, accomplishing the projects’ objectives and contributing to the capacity improvement for local healthcare workers.
MCNV Country Director, at the same time, expressed his expectation that Hue UMP will become an OT training center for the central region with well-structured short-term training courses, high quality and effective training methods, contributing to filling the gaps in human resources in the rehabilitation system.
The 9-month course in OT comprises 13 subjects, being delivered in 750 hours (225 ones for theory and 525 ones for practice). It is divided into three semesters, each lasts 10 weeks. There will be a 2-week break between semesters, when the trainees come back to their respective workplaces for self-learning and work on assignments to apply what they have learnt into practice.
Mr. Le Dai Duong, a technician from Rehabilitation Department of Quang Nam Northern Mountainous Region General Hospital, one among the course’s trainees, said that he earlier had the chance to obtain fundamental knowledge of OT through a 7-week course, with a focus on OT interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Mr. Duong hopes that the 9-month course in OT will enrich him with sufficient in-depth knowledge and skills in OT, in order to provide interventions for various diseases that his hospital commonly admits, such as brain injury, complications after accidents, spinal cord injury, etc.
Another trainee, Ms. Le Thi Quynh Van, Department of General Internal Medicine – Convalesce – Pediatrics, Hospital of Traditional Medicine and Rehabilitation of Kon Tum Province shared: There is high demand for OT services, especially from children with ASD. However, OT services are limited, most of the available rehabilitation services focus on PT. Ms. Quynh Van hopes that the 9-month course will help her hone the knowledge and skills on assessing, making intervention plans, conducting interventions and evaluating post-intervention results, in order to contribute to the development of OT services in the hospital, making OT services more accessible for people in her locality, avoiding long travels for services.
Following the launching ceremony, the course’s first lecture was conducted on May 17th, 2022 at Hue UMP. At the end of the course, the trainees will be granted a certificate of continuing medical training in rehabilitation specializing in OT./.
Handover of Micro Credit and Saving project to Binh Dai district
On June 3, 2022, an agreement was signed to hand over the Micro Credit and Saving project in Binh Dai district from MCNV to Binh Dai District People’s Committee and Binh Dai Provincial Women’s Union.
The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Pham Dung, MCNV Vietnam Country Director, Mr. Pham Huu Toai, Vice Chairman of Binh Dai District People’s Committee – Head of the project management board, Ms. Nguyen Thi Loi, Head of Binh Dai District Women’s Union, Vice Head of the project management board, representatives of People’s Committee the Women’s Unions of 11 communes and townships under the project.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mr. Pham Dung said:
“The project symbolizes the long-term cooperation between MCNV and Ben Tre province. MCNV is proud of what the project has achieved, in the aspects of sustainability, financial performance and social impact. With a flexible approach, through microcredit instrument, the project has provided relevant knowledge and capital source to help poor women in Binh Dai district strive toward a better future.
At the same time, the project has provided timely and effective support for the community to tackle the challenge of drought and saltwater intrusion and meet with some of new rural area development criteria.
Following the handover, the project will be operated by the People’s Committee of Binh Dai district and the Women’s Union of Ben Tre province, in accordance with the project regulations, ensuring the optimization of the credit source to meet the needs of poor women in post-COVID economic recovery in the time to come.
• The Micro Credit and Saving project in Binh Dai district was launched by MCNV and sponsors in 2009, starting with two communes with a capital of nearly 300 million VND.
• The project has extended its reach to 11 communes and township, providing micro-credit loans and saving services to around 1,700 regular customers with a total revolving capital of over 12 billion VND.
• Over 8,800 loans are provided to support thousands of women to escape poverty.
•The project will also become one of MCNV’s partners in assisting Ben Tre province and the Mekong Delta region to adapt to climate change.
•The Project Management Board is committed to maintain reporting and the relationships with longstanding Dutch donors such as Mfm, Huzla and individual donors.
