A Dutch-funded project has helped hundreds of disabled people in central Phu Yen province to have better lives.

The project, funded by the Medical Committee of Netherlands-Vietnam(MCNV), has been carried out since 2006, targeting 335 disabled peoplein the Hoa An, Hoa Thang and Hoa Quang Bac communes of Phu Hoa district.More than half of them have seen positive health improvements andintegrated comprehensively into the community.

ChauDinh Thuc, one of the project’s beneficiaries, suffered disability tohis limbs ten years ago and could not support himself in his daily life.After weekly exercises at his home with the project’s nurses, he hasrecovered his mobility.

“I was lucky enough toreceive assistance from the project. Now I am able to walk and supportmyself,” Thuc said. “Home-based exercises also helped save time andmoney.”

Echoing Thuc’s opinion, Nguyen Thi Hoang My,a nurse from the health care centre in Hoa An commune, said thebeneficiaries see faster health improvements when their rehabilitationtakes place at home with the support of their relatives.

Nearly 300 members of the disabled people’s associations in the threecommunes also received a preferential loan of nearly 6 million VND (280USD) each from the project, helping them raise their income and enjoy abetter quality of life.

Le Van Cuong from Hoa Ancommune is among the disadvantaged local residents who have benefitedfrom the project and now lives a stable life. Cuong recounted how aserious accident badly damaged his right leg, causing problems for bothhimself and his family.

Since 2007, he has used hisloan to develop a stable small family business. Now he earns around150,000 VND (7 USD) per day.

The assistance from the projecthas created opportunities for the disabled people and their families toimprove their living conditions and quality of life, said Ngo Van Can,chairman of the Hoa An Disabled People Association.

The rate of disability in Phu Yen is rather high, accounting for 5.9 percent of the local population.-VNA