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I-Thrive: Recruitment of SALT volunteers

To contribute to filling the gaps of rehabilitation service and system at both provincial and district levels, MCNV has been implementing I-Thrive Project in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Provinces. Within this project, MCNV support Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy to provide a 12-month course on Speech and Language Therapy (SALT).

For each province, MCNV is looking for a volunteer to provide coaching on SALT clinical practice for health staffs who finish this training course (called SALT practitioners hereafter) in daily working in the targeted health facilities after completing the SALT training course.

A CV detailing professional experience, relevant qualifications should be provided to thuy.tranthu@mcnv.vn by December 25, 2020.

Please refer to the ToR below for more details

Volunteer in Quang Nam: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15Y-8jO9I-w6rKDQYCQD2-8pjEKoufI1m/view?usp=sharing

Volunteer in Thua Thien Hue: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JVxVFSbi-JEkM8SzvBOoRdS3XP3RdL3z/view?usp=sharing

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Vacancy for Occupational Therapy volunteer

To contribute to filling the gaps of rehabilitation services and system at both provincial and district levels, MCNV has been implementing I-Thrive Project in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Provinces.
Within this project, MCNV support Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP) to provide a 12-month course on Occupational Therapy (OT).

MCNV is looking for a volunteer to provide coaching on Occupational Therapy (OT) clinical practice for health staffs in daily working in their hospitals after completing the 12-month course.

For more information, please find the Terms of Reference (ToRs) below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HlBvQ1ed5Vc74ajTAr-3g53xkdZATD21/view?usp=sharing

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95 freshmen gain insights into Rehabilitation via workshop

An orientation conference for freshmen was held on November 7, 2020 by the Faculty of Nursing and Medical Technology, HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP).

The event aims to facilitate students in making the optimal choice of major for their coming learning journey and career. Currently, the Faculty is offering two majors: Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT).

This year, the Faculty welcomes 95 new students who have just got admitted for the Bachelor program period 2020-2024.

The conference has provided the freshmen relevant information and understanding on the role of Rehabilitation in the healthcare system, the scope of works, its clients and career opportunity. The information was brought to the students by experienced lecturers of UMP and specialists in Rehabilitation.

Remarkably, a group representing the first batch of OT Bachelors was invited to the event to share more insight of the OT with the freshmen. The sharing has given the first year students the confidence to make their choice of major, of which many have decided to choose OT.

MCNV and UMP hope that more students will register for OT, a very promising profession but still facing shortage of manpower in Vietnam.

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Post disaster aid update: Most remote village receives essential supplies

Today (October 31), 68 households living in Huong Choa village, the most remote village in Huong Phung commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province, have been provided with essential supplies by MCNV officers and friends.

Each household has received a gift package consisting of 10kg of rice, cooking oil, fish sauce, salt, dried food, blanket, and clothes. Each gift package worth VND 420,000 (EUR 15), sponsored by MCNV donors from the Netherlands. Our heartfelt thanks to your generosity, our dear donors!

Huong Choa village is the most remote village in Huong Hoa district and has been terribly isolated since all roads leading to this locality were devastated by the flood. The majority of the local population are of Bru Van Kieu ethnic minority.

In addition, today, MCNV team joined hand with another charitable team from Dong Nai province to provide drinking water, clothes and food to 130 households in Chenh Venh, another affected village in the same commune of Huong Phung.

Chenh Venh village is not as isolated as Huong Choa village, however, the residents here are in serious shortage of water, especially clean water for drinking, since the water supply system here has been massively damaged by the flood, and is estimated to take a considerable amount of time for repair and renovation.

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Damages caused by typhoons No. 6, 7 in Central Vietnam

A collapsed house in Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province. Photo: Dan Sinh News

By 4 pm (GMT+7), Oct 19, natural disaster in central Vietnam has so far left 102 dead and 26 missing. At least 178,000 homes, nearly 7,000 hectares of crops have been damaged and 700,000 cattle/poultry killed, official data shows.

Three provinces suffering the largest loss of lives are Quang Tri (48), Thua Thien-Hue (27) and Quang Nam (11), according to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

According to Quang Tri provincial Department of Foreign Affairs, this is the first time Quang Tri suffer 4 floods in just 10 days. From October 6-17, a large-scale downpour hit Quang Tri, causing water to rapidly rise on rivers and severe floods in many areas of the province.

From October 16-18, all districts, towns and cities (except Con Co island district) suffered from high flooding, the Department says.

A local inundated medical center. Photo: Ho Cau/Vietnam News

By October 19, nearly 3,000 cattle and 472,000 poultry were killed/washed away, while nearly 2,580 ha of crop in Quang Tri were damaged. 316.5 hectares of rice plantation and 5.8 ha of agricultural land were inundated. Numerous irrigation structure, dykes, embankments were landslided and seriously damaged.

The disaster also causes disruption in water supply, especially in Huong Hoa district and Dakrong district, where MCNV’s three development projects are being implemented.

In Huong Hoa district, over 3,500 m water pipelines of Huong Phung commune were washed away while the water system in Chenh Venh and Cheng village were buried and severely damaged by fallen soil and rock.

Erosion in Dakrong. Photo: Thanh Loc/Thanh Nien News

In Dakrong district, over 672 m water pipelines were washed away (A Vao commune) while clean water system of Huc Nghi commune resettlement area were damaged.

In addition, in Huong Hoa district and Dakrong district, schools are also eroded due to flood. (In the whole province of Quang Tri, over 70 schools have been inundated with high water level).
The delivery of emergency aid and rescue to affected localities are facing numerous obstacles, since many roads and areas are blocked by landslide and flood.

A classroom in Huong Hoa district. Photo: Dan Sinh news

According to the latest news from the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHFM) on October 20, Saudel, a freshly-formed storm is expected to enter the East Sea and may head to central Vietnam.

At 1 pm on Friday, 23 October, Saudel is forecast to hit the Hoang Sa Archipelago of Vietnam, packing maximum sustained winds of level 11, and a gale of level 14.

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Increased food security for the people of Nong

Golden tips against hunger

In Nong, the poorest district in Savannakhet province, Laos, malnutrition is a persistent problem. A few years ago we started growing nutritious crops on plots of land near the villages. As a result, people no longer had to go into the forest to look for food. The forests are less depleted and important animal and plant species in the forest are preserved. A great asset for the future!

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Magazine 2020-3

for magazine in Dutch click here

Magazine_2020-3

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MCNV honored by Quang Tri province for outstanding effort in fund mobilizing

MCNV was recently honored with the Certificate of Merit acknowledging its contribution to the development of Quang Tri province.

A conference on strengthening the cooperation and implementing the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) aid program for period 2020 to 2025 took place on October 2nd in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province.

The event was jointly held by Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO).

A pavilion displaying handicrafted bamboo and tungs trees oil products, produced with the support of MCNV.

Delegates from various local agencies and NGOs, including MCNV took this occasion to exchange the views and discuss about issues of great significance to the development of Quang Tri province, which were: aid for socio-economic development, climate change response and war remnants removal.

Remarkably, at the event, MCNV was awarded with the Certificate of Merit by the People’s Committee of Quang Tri province, acknowledging the organization’s outstanding contribution to mobilizing FNGO’s funds for the locality during period 2014-2019.

This acknowledgement is considered a source of encouragement for MCNV to further the organization’s effort in maintaining and expanding support in Quang Tri.

Currently, MCNV has been implementing three projects in Quang Tri, which are:

-Promoting sustainable partnership between CSOs and enterprises for sustainable forest management in the context of climate change’ (PROSPER)

-Ethnic minorities community development

-Realization of land use rights for ethnic minority people with disabilities (PWD) in Dakrong and Huong Hoa districts, Quang Tri province.

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Leaping towards improved nutrition – rearing frogs in Lao PDR

Mr. Tambeo, proudly shows off two prize bullfrogs

As the evening draws to a close a loud croaking can be heard throughout Thathe village, in Nong District, Lao PDR. It is the chorus of the East Asian Bullfrog (Hoblobatrachus rugulosus). Although small in size these noisy pond dwellers bring big benefits to poor households in Thathe village, as frog meat is a popular addition to the rural Lao diet whether stewed in a steaming pot or fried as a tasty snack.

The frogs are far easier and cheaper to rear than larger livestock and utilise less water than fisheries, as one small fenced pond of 2m x3m metres can support around 600 frogs. The frogs provide a daily protein constituent in the household diet and also are a valued source of income as they can be sold for 30,000Kip/kg, (around 4-5 frogs per kilo), or exchanged with other families for eggs and vegetables.

Through the EU funded CANTEEN project, MCNV has provided over 45,000 froglets to 75 households through 10 poor villages in Nong District. Household members have been shown how to construct and maintain the ponds and trained in techniques for feeding and caring for the frogs, as well as how to prepare and cook them safely. The addition of aquaculture to farming practices within the villages promotes an agroecology that is nutrition-sensitive and more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Froglets are initially kept in small ponds once they have grown and are ready for breeding they will be moved to larger ponds.

Mr. Tambeo, is just one of the villagers that has benefited from this simple, but innovative idea. He says that “I was initially skeptical of such a new idea, but the training and support MCNV provided showed me that rearing frogs was a simple and very profitable endeavor. The frogs are easy to breed and raise as I they eat insects and larvae that are easy to obtain, and my children love to eat them! I can also exchange them with neighbours for eggs and vegetables. I can also sell the frogs and the additional income also helps me provide medicine and other essentials for my family and I can buy more froglets to raise and breed. THANK YOU MCNV.”

Although for Mr. Tambeo it was initially a leap of faith to begin rearing frogs with the support of MCNV the project has been a hopping success and MCNV is now looking at extend this idea to other villages school ponds so that children can learn the art of frog raising and enjoy tastier and healthier school meals too.

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MCNV continues promoting inclusive education in Vietnam


The opening ceremony of Dien Bien Support Center for the Development of Inclusive Education on September 11 has paved the way for a brighter future of children with disabilities in Dien Bien province. As part of the event, the Center also kick started the new academic year 2020-2021.

In 2016, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Medical Committee Netherlands-Vietnam (MCNV) and the Dien Bien provincial Department of Education and Training, declaring the willingness to establish and mobilize funding for the construction of Dien Bien Support Center for the Development of Inclusive Education (Support Center).

Thanks to great support from the Provincial People’s Committee and Department of Education and Training of Dien Bien Province, donors from the Netherlands, Kind Heart Foundation (Vingroup) and PwC, the Support Center was put into operation in October 2019 and welcomed its first batch of students in December of the same year.

An outdoor lesson in the Support Center. Photo: MCNV

Being established as core part of the project ‘Capacity building for Dien Bien Support Center for the Development of Inclusive Education’ by MCNV, the Center aims to provide expertise and support in early detection, early intervention and inclusive education for children with disabilities in Dien Bien; raising community awareness towards equal rights of children with disabilities; and assisting community and parents in supporting their disabled children’s social inclusion.

A teacher helps her student improve mobility skill. Photo: MCNV

After two enrollments, the Support Center has now become the ‘second home’ of 41 children aged 3-15 who are living with different forms of disabilities (autism, intellectual disability, hearing impairment, etc). The Support Center has started providing consultancy and expertise support for primary schools which mainstream children with disabilities.

Filled with the colors and scents of nature, the Support Center provides a relaxing environment for children with disabilities. Photo: MCNV

Covering an area of nearly 6000m2, the Support Center consists of 6 buildings, with a total number of 24 rooms, including classrooms, multisensory rooms, individual intervention rooms, etc, to accommodate different needs of students.

In order to facilitate the rehabilitation and improvement of students’ senses and skills, the Support Center is furnished with a variety of necessary aids and equipment, such as keyboard, manual alphabet, sensory pads, twisting puzzle, manipulative, etc.

According to Deputy Chairman of Dien Bien provincial People’s Committee, Mr. Le Van Quy, there are nearly 4,000 children of disabilities in Dien Bien. Many of them are still out of school and many others are struggling in adapting to general education environment.

“I hope the Support Center will step by step reinforce its teaching quality, and become the trusted second home of children with disabilities in Dien Bien”, he said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Director General of the Department of Primary Education, Ministry of Education and Training, Standing Deputy Head of the Steering Committee on Education for Children with disabilities, Dr.Ta Ngoc Tri, emphasized the importance of inclusive education, and highlighting the practical roles of the Support Center in the national education system.

Dr.Ta Ngoc Tri speaks at the event. Photo: MCNV

“The Support Center not only works on early detection and intervention to help students with disabilities grow to full potential, but also plays a significant role in assisting other schools and education institutions in improving inclusive education,” he noted.

According to MCNV Country Director, Mr. Pham Dung, the establishment of the Support Center in Dien Bien province is realized based on the previous successful models supported by MCNV in three provinces of Dak Lak, Phu Yen and Cao Bang. MCNV therefore hopes that the Support Center will continuously improve itself to fulfill its mission and develop its capacity to serve as a technical supervisor of similar Centers in the Northwestern region in the future.

MCNV Country Director Mr.Pham Dung speaks at the event. Photo: MCNV

“Cooperation and experience exchange are of great significant in building a strong network of Support Center. For example, in the past, the Support Center in Dak Lak stood by the Center in Cao Bang, and nowadays, the Center in Cao Bang is assisting the Center in Dien Bien,” he said.

On this occasion, the Support Center also received gifts including water filter, winter blankets and warm clothes from various sponsors.

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