Better education and care for people with autism

World Autism Awareness Day: Insights into our project work in Vietnam

On April 2nd, it was World Autism Awareness Day, whose purpose is to raise global awareness about autism, help improve life quality of people with autism and assist them in becoming more integrated. According to the United Nations, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological condition and usually becomes apparent during early childhood. Although the exact cause of autism has yet to be conclusively identified, there have been numerous studies linking it to genetic factors. Sufficient support, care and acceptance give people with autism equal chances to learn, develop and participate more in community activities.

Due to increasing awareness of autism, many countries have built programs to support people with autism. While developed countries have made innovative interventions for people with autism, aiding them to lead a more meaningful life, developing countries still lack resources and ability to do so, which makes early intervention become more difficult. A specific case is Vietnam and their autism statistics. While there is a high prevalence of autism in Vietnam, not many families know about or can afford the intervention programs. This is due to Vietnamese awareness of autism being limited, and even where awareness exists, families usually do not have the capabilities or resources to assist their children with autism. Thus, since 2011, help alliance has funded the project Perspectives for Children with Handicap and supported Saigon Children’s Charity to organize many projects on developing better education and care for people with autism.

Together we have carried out the following activities during the last years and thereby contributed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals “Quality Eduaction” (SDG 4) and “Reduced Inequalities” (SDG 10):

• 18 capacity building training courses for 400 practitioners working with children with autism across Vietnam;
• 2 training courses for 130 parents to empower them to accompany their children in the journey of integrating into the community;
• 3 events for 800 children with autism to celebrate their holidays.

These projects brought significant benefits in developing expertise in the identification, intervention and inclusion of children with autism. Many teachers and therapists working with children with autism now have access to the most up-to-date knowledge and skills, many parents learned to accept their children’s difficulties and how to support them, and the children with autism were given chances to participate in social activities that were designed for them.

help alliance is happy to continue collaborating with Saigon Children’s Charity for the project Perspectives for Children with Handicap. It is our joint goal to extend capacity and proficiency for autism practitioners and parents to give the best support for children with autism in Vietnam.