VIET NAM GOVERNMENT
HONOURS
BLIND CITIZENS AUSTRALIA NEWS RELEASE (March 6, 2000) The Vietnamese Government, under its national theme of "Independence, Freedom, Happiness", has honoured Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) with the "Medal of Friendship" in appreciation "For many helpful contributions in partnership and implementation of beneficial projects which have greatly helped the Vietnamese blind community." The certificate was signed on 13 April 1999 by the President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Mr Tran Duc Luong. The Friendship Medal was received on BCA'S behalf by its Executive Officer, William Jolley, at a ceremony in Ha Noi on February 29. The Friendship Medal was presented by Mr Nguyen Dinh Lieu, Vice-Minister for Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Mr Jolley, when speaking at the presentation ceremony, said: Receiving the Medal of Friendship from the Vietnamese Government is a high honour for Blind Citizens Australia. Normally the Medal is awarded to individuals rather than organisations, and BCA is only the second organisation to receive the award. The other one, also an Australian organisation, was APHEDA (Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad) in 1998. Mr Jolley said that Blind Citizens Australia has worked in partnership with the Viet Nam Blind Association (VBA) since 1993 to support teacher-training courses in six provinces: Thai Binh, Long An, Ha Tay, Quang Nam, Thanh Hoa and Thua Thien Hue. With funding totalling $280,000 from AusAID, 125 women, 75% of them blind or vision impaired, have been trained through nine-month residential courses as teachers of blind people in Braille literacy, vocational skills and daily living techniques. They have since opened 83 Braille Literacy classes in their local districts, mostly for three months, for 1351 blind people. This year the number should pass 2000, with a further 54 district classes planned for 800 blind people. | |
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