Stories: Children, Community, Future

ChildFund is committed to partnering with local organisations in the communities where we work to achieve long-term and continue improvements in the lives of children and their families. We believe that working with local partners enhances our capacity to realise children’s rights and improves the effectiveness and reach of the programs we support. In this new series, we will introduce you to our incredible local partners, whose work is changing the lives of children throughout Vietnam. This week, we talk to Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Director of the Action to the Community Development Institute (ACDC).

Ι When was your organisation established and why?

Action to the Community Development Institute (ACDC), formally Action to the Community Development Center (ACDC) is a Vietnamese non-government organisation, established in 2011, for and of persons with disabilities, to support the persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups in the society. ACDC is also a for and by persons with disabilities organisation, promoting and supporting the activities of all implementing partners to support persons with disabilities in improving quality of life, looking towards equal status, independence, social integration, and abilities of persons with disabilities to contribute more effectively to the society, following the realisation of “no one is left behind”. On our journey, ACDC has become one of the pioneers in policy advocacy for people with disabilities and an active member of the Network of OPDs.

Ι What are your vision and mission?

ACDC’s vision is to be a reputable organisation in improving quality of life, promoting the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups. Our mission is to commit to contributing to the inclusion of persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups through support activities to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities and promote persons with disabilities support models.

Ι What activities do you implement?

Over the past 10 years of operation, ACDC has made notable achievements through practical work in policy advocating for persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups, supporting to build and develop network of persons with disabilities, promoting support services and changing perceptions about persons with disabilities. In addition, some of our other activities over the years include supporting persons with disabilities in context of the Covid-19 pandemic and helping persons with disabilities affected by floods and storms in the Central region.

Ι How long have you worked in partnership with ChildFund?

Our partnership with ChildFund started in 2015 with joined activities within education projects implemented in Cao Bang and Hoa Binh, health projects in Bach Thong, Bac Kan, etc. From the positive results brought by joined activities, ACDC and ChildFund have formed a close partnership. Longer-term cooperation projects have been implemented, bringing many benefits to the community, local authorities and especially persons with disabilities and their families.

Ι What new initiatives do you have planned for the future?

In the coming journey, ACDC in general and I in particular are always ready to accompany persons with disabilities, policy formulation and implementation agencies as well as all implementation partners for the equal rights of persons with disabilities in a barrier-free society. In particular, we will focus more on selecting and evaluating the quality of laws, policies and their implementation status; continuously support the development of initiatives and support service models for persons with disabilities and the necessary conditions for these initiatives and models to work sustainably in practice. ACDC will also continue to act for the legitimate rights and interests of women and girls with disabilities; expand cooperation with partners with the same goal towards a society without barriers for persons with disabilities in Vietnam.

Ι As a staff member of Action to the Community Development Institute, can you share with us a personal highlight from your work?

I think a personal highlight for me has been when we started working on projects in Cao Bang and Bac Kan. I still remember each faces and characteristics of the 23 children with disabilities we met in Quang Uyen, Cao Bang. Bac Kan was a place we often call the “white area” as it did not have any association or group of persons with disabilities. Step by step, member by member, the Self-help group of persons with disabilities in Na Ri, Bac Kan was established in 2019 and by 2021, the Organisation of Persons with Disabilities (OPD) has been introduced, becoming the first organisation of its kind to be established in a remote province. Here, along side us are countless members, including persons with disabilities who are “breaking down” obstacles to create a path to social integration for all persons with disabilities.