Thien Ly , 10, sat on a wooden chair, sipping juice from a freshly cut coconut her father bought from the market that morning. She emptied her schoolbag, laid colouring books in front of her, and started doing her favourite thing – painting.
Because Thien Ly had shown learning disabilities at an early age, Thien Ly ’s mother kept her daughter inside her home.
“I knew she was different from other kids, but I didn’t know what was wrong with her. After I met teachers at the School for Hearing Impaired Children, I understood my daughter’s conditions and I learned ways to raise my daughter. I started to take her outside and let her meet people. I started teaching her to help herself,” says Thai Kim Huong, Thien Ly ’s mother.
Thien Ly , 10, colours a drawing book. Her mother learns about children’s rights and parenting methods for children with disabilities from other mothers and teachers at the School for Hearing Impaired Children. Photo by Jack Picone.
Equal rights as other children
Thai Kim Huong learned about children’s rights from a parents club at the School for Hearing Impaired Children and believed that her daughter would be happier to learn more about the world outside her home.
“Children with disabilities have the same rights just as any other children. Knowing that my daughter has equal rights as other kids makes me very happy. And for this reason, Thien Ly has the right to go to school,” Thai Kim Huong says.
The School for Hearing Impaired Children in Dong Thap Province was her first choice. Founded in 1993, the school offers education for children with special needs, including children with hearing impairment, physical difficulties, and learning disabilities.
Learn to express
It turned out that Thien Ly was not the only one who went to school. Her mother quickly joined the school’s parents club where she and her daughter both learned how to communicate more effectively.
“During the club’s meetings, parents learned new parenting methods from other parents and teachers at the club. The parents said they have seen improvement in their children’s conditions and behaviours after they applied new parenting methods,” says Huynh Kim Thoa, president of the parents club, whose membership has grown to 35.
The parents club has also been successful in convincing club members to bring their disabled children to join their community’s activities.
“We have been successful in helping parents to realise that their children are not ‘second class’ children. We help them see that their children are learning and are progressing at school,” Huy Nh Kim Thoa continues.
Nguyen Thi Nhu Mai, the school’s principal, adds “the club helps parents learn about children’s rights and helps them to be a better communicator when interacting with their own children. Together, the parents and children learn how to communicate with one another. Children have improved their communication skills and are better at expressing their needs.”
Together, parents and children with disabilities learn to communicate with one another using sign language. The parents club helps inexperienced parents to learn different parenting methods. Photo by Jack Picone.
It takes time
For children with learning difficulties, activity needs to be presented in small steps and in an orderly sequence so that children could ultimately help themselves.
“Thien Ly can’t speak but now she is better at expressing her needs. She could change her own clothes, bath, use chopsticks, and look after herself. Changes don’t happen overnight. Parents must be very patient to see a positive change in their own child,” Huong says.
Positive sign for civil society in Viet Nam
Although Viet Nam has seen an increasing number of parents clubs and other civil society organisations at community, district, and provincial levels, these types of organisations or groups are not acknowledged by the government and have been operating without any legal recognition.
But in December 2007, the Association of Education and Psychology of Dong Thap Province committed to legalise the parents club.
“The fact that the parents club in Dong Thap is in the process of becoming a legal and independent organisation signals an evolving and enabling environment for civil society, which you could not think of 7 to 10 years ago. This could be an indicator of its growing maturity and confidence in the club’s development and management,” says Le Bich Van, Save the Children Sweden’s programme officer for civil society support and good governance.
Save the Children Sweden supports civil society organisations to be independent and sustainable by strengthening their capacities on planning, management, fundraising, finance, and facilitation skills. We also provide information and updates on children’s rights and facilitate the club’s participation with other like-minded civil society organisations in southern provinces to promote learning and exchanges of good practices.
Story by Pariphan Uawithya