26 January 2006

Ha Noi, Viet Nam: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Viet Nam and the U.S. non-governmental organization Health Volunteers Overseas today launched a joint initiative to boost public awareness of people with disabilities and efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The 18-month partnership will provide financial support to disability and volunteer-involving groups in organizing events to highlight the importance of voluntary engagement in achieving the MDGs. A series of initiatives are planned including cross-country promotional tours for people with disabilities, awareness raising events on International Women’s Day (8 March) and International Volunteer Day (5 December), local HIV prevention campaigns, support to establish self-help groups, including for women with disabilities, and skills training for volunteers.

“The project aims to support disability self-help groups and other volunteers who contribute to the achievement of the MDGs, with a focus on poverty reduction and promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities,” says Larry Wolfe, Project Director of Health Volunteers Overseas in Vietnam. “These efforts will be complemented by raising public awareness on the link between disability issues and the MDGs in order to promote volunteerism for development which fully includes and supports people with disabilities.”

The UNV Programme Officer in Viet Nam, Koen Van Acoleyen, hopes the project will change perceptions of disabled people. "One often hears that there are an estimated five to six million people with disabilities in Viet Nam who need help,” says Mr. Van Acoleyen. “I believe that it is these five to six million who can help. When given the opportunity to organize themselves and speak out, people with disabilities are effective in mobilizing voluntary support and empowering themselves to improve their lives and contribute to the achievement of the MDGs in Viet Nam."

To expand the project’s reach and impact, UNV will contribute US $49,500 to the existing budget of US $45,000, which was raised by Health Volunteers Overseas and its partners: the Disability Forum, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Ho Chi Minh City Disabled Youth Association, Group "Nhung Uoc Mo Xanh" (Green Dreams), and Voluntary Service Overseas.

Health Volunteers Overseas has operated in Viet Nam since 1992. Building on its strengths and accomplishments, the organization will draw on its partners, a vast network of government and civil volunteers groups, to demonstrate the importance of volunteers in realizing the MDGs by 2015.