Nearly 250 disabled people in southern Dong Nai province benefit from a project that is being carried out by the provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs under the support of the Handicap International in Vietnam.

It was reported at a meeting in the locality on August 13 that the project has focused on giving vocational training to disabled people with working capacity in 18 communes. Following training, the beneficiaries were provided with capital for starting their own production or business, or introduced to job opportunities.

After three years of implementation, as many as 198 local people with disabilities were provided with non-refundable capital worth nearly 1.5 billion VND (70,500 USD), which aids them in beginning production and business by themselves. Meanwhile, 49 others have found jobs in 18 enterprises operating in Dong Nai so far.

A representative from San Lim Furniture Vietnam Co., Ltd said the firm has started recruiting disabled employees since 2009, and currently 36 workers with disabilities are working in the enterprise with a monthly average salary of 5-6 million VND.

To give best support to disabled people, the project’s workers have conducted surveys on the need for jobs and social welfare for the disabled in the locality, provided training and consultation for vocational training centres’ staffs on how to work with the disabled.

They have also called on enterprises to employ disabled workers and make it easier for the disabled to access start-up investment.-VNA