Akemi Bando
Secretary general, The Support of Vietnam Children Association

When I first visited Bến Tre province in southern Vietnam in 1990, the impact of the Vietnam War, which lasted for over 30 years, was still clearly visible. There was no electricity supply; medical equipment and technology were lacking in hospitals; there was also a shortage of vaccines; medical treatment was inadequate; there were not even enough elementary schools. It was so striking that I felt that it might be an illusion, that I might have taken a trip in a time machine. On the other hand, I was deeply struck by the fact that, given the lack of funds, the leaders of the provincial government had put together donations from their own salaries and begun to draw up architectural plans for a school for children with disabilities. These two events led to the establishment of this Association in 1990, and over the past 30-plus years, we have led exchange tours with the twin pillars of medical care, education, welfare, and local communities; and of the prevention of disabilities and early diagnosis, intervention, and social participation by disabled people.

In addition to professionals such as doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, nurses, public health visitors, experts in developmental testing, special education teachers, and so on, people with disabilities and their families have also taken part. During this period, a school for disabled children has been built and the teachers trained, an early childhood support centre has also been created, and the number of children who can attend this centre in parallel with local nurseries has grown rapidly. Technical collaboration in neonatal management, rehabilitation, and other areas of medical care has borne fruit, and the success in Bến Tre Province of the maternal and child health handbook which we also suggested has been recognized by the government, making this a valuable bottom-up initiative which has now been adopted across the whole of Vietnam. Community health administrators have been assigned to almost all the villages in Bến Tre Province, and people with severe disabilities living at home are being provided with information and counselling.

Educational toys purchased for the early childhood support centre using financial aid from our Association

As we have continued to watch these changes in Bến Tre Province over more than thirty years, we have learned that our relationship is not one between those providing support and those receiving it. Rather, there are many things that we share as we learn and put our learning into practice together. Medical care, education, welfare, and local communities work together as one to protect children. Each time that we interact with the people of Bến Tre Province, this basic point is impressed upon us, and we would also like to make use of it in Japan wherever we can. The other day, we received photographs of the new education toys bought for the support centre with funds provided by the Association, together with photographs of children having fun with these toys.

During the past three years, we have not been able to visit our partners on the ground due to COVID, but we have stayed connected through online meetings. I hope that this year, we will finally be able to visit and carry out activities there.