Up to 640 disabled people in the central city of Da Nang are expected to make a living from jobs suitable to their health, provided by a 1 million USD project funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The project, which will run until 2011, will also provide start-up capital and tool kits for another 1,200 disabled people or carers to boost local household economy. The funding will be available for the families of 1,500 disabled people to ensure steady and adequate incomes that will benefit 2,250 children and 1,120 other family members apart from the disabled people themselves.

The project will also support 1,000 disabled people to join self-reliance groups and 40 businesses to recruit disabled people.

Project manager Nguyen Thi Thu Ha said that as a result, over 300 disabled people have found employment, over 770 disabled people have been provided with loans and tool kits, 430 others have joined self-reliance groups and 32 enterprises have recruited disabled people.

Ha added that in the future, the project will focus on vocational training for the disabled, based on market demands and encourage the target group to start up family businesses.

Courses in budget management and market surveys will also be held for the disabled, she said.

Ha promised that the projects executives will work with local authorities to solve problems regarding loan procedures for the disabled to encourage household businesses.

The social organisations involved in the project include Save the Children and the Integration Development Action Board./.