Scholarships helping children with a disability in Vietnam access a quality education

In December 2020,Thuong Thi Long received some good news: her daughter, five-year-old Giang, had been awarded a scholarship to attend school fulltime.

Giang was born with a disability and needs extra support in the classroom. For children living with a disability in Vietnam like Giang, accessing a quality education is already extremely difficult, but even more so for those who live in rural and remote communities.

ChildFund Vietnam’s My Right to Education program is ensuring children with a disability can still access a quality education through information sessions about what supports, and scholarships are available to children with a disability and how parents can access these resources. The program is being implemented with a local partner, the Action to the Community Development Institute (ACDI).

In October 2020 Thuong took part in a ChildFund training about how to support children with a disability to access an education. She learned about the kind of support Giang needed and the different scholarships available for children with a disability to help them attend school.

Shortly after the training, Thuong applied for a scholarship that would pay for Giang’s school fees and provide Giang with the in-classroom support she needed to stay in school fulltime.

When Thuong learned that Giang had been awarded the scholarship, she was very excited. As part of the scholarship, teachers will work with Giang and her family to develop a tailored learning plan and individual lessons.

Thuong is now encouraging parents and teachers to attend ChildFund’s training sessions and learn about scholarships for children with a disability in the hope of raising awareness about the right for all children to access an education and break down stigmas around disability. She wants her community to know that children like Giang are just as capable as their peers, and that when parents and teachers work together, they can create an inclusive classroom where they can help children with a disability reach their full potential.

“I am happy that, together, we can support and encourage Giang,” Thuong said.

ChildFund’s My Right to Education program brings together teachers, parents and vulnerable communities in Vietnam to help all children access a quality education, achieve higher education, and have a brighter future.

This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).