The sports festival draws 350 children (Photo: VNA) The event was part of a project to support the improvement of living quality of persons with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange (Inclusion I), which is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Director of the USAID Vietnam’s Reconciliation and Inclusive Development Office Ritu Tariyal said that the project is one of the prominent that the USAID has implemented in Vietnam in 30 years, aiming to provide the best integration conditions to the children, as inclusion is a basic human right.
The festival drew 43 delegations with 350 children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, together with more than 400 caregivers and teachers. The children competed in diverse sports such as swimming, running, walking, wheelchair race, and tug of war.
The organising board also designed a common space with free movement games and creative corners for children and parents.
A gala night with a “Light It Up Blue” event was held to mark the World Autism Awareness Day.
Doan Quoc Hung, deputy head of the project’s Management Board, said that in Vietnam, children with disabilities always receive special attention. He said that through the festival, the organising board hopes to bring health benefits to the children as well as promoting their confidence, inclusion and equality.
Inclusion I Project has been carried out in three central provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Nam at a cost of 6.9 million USD./.
VNA
