The East Meets West (EMW) organisation and the Vietnam Association of Sports for the Disabled (VPA) on November 12 announced they would present 320 wheelchairs to disabled people in ten cities and provinces nationwide.

Beneficiaries will be those in Hanoi , Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam , Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho city.

The gifts, donated by the Wheelchair Foundation and the Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley, California, US, include 260 standard and 60 sports wheelchairs. The first 58 wheelchairs were presented to those in need in Ho Chi Minh City .

According to VPA Vice President and General Secretary Vu The Phiet, Vietnam has over 5.3 million disabled people, many of them poor. This is an opportunity for them to better integrate into the community.

Established in 2000, Wheelchair Foundation has presented more than 900,000 wheelchairs to people with disabilities in 150 countries and territories.-VNA