During the Vietnam War, US forces sprayed some 80 million litres of the highly toxic defoliant Agent Orange onto the Vietnamese jungle. The consequences of this are still being felt by the local population today. Children are still being born with deformities and increased susceptibility to cancer. Their desperate parents are largely left to their own devices and often have no idea how to cope with a disabled child. They are sometimes even ashamed of their child’s disability and marginalise the child. This can lead to secondary handicaps which adversely affect the child’s future prospects.
The project in brief:
The aim of the project is to give 400 disabled children aged between 6 and 15 a chance of a decent future by offering them an education. The idea is to prepare the children for attending a mainstream school nearby, taking account of their possibilities. Every year 75 children will attend one of the five transitional classes, to be will be taught and cared for by a multidisciplinary team of special-needs teachers, psychologists and social assistants. All children also receive the necessary school materials, plus any medical equipment they need (hearing aid, walking aid or wheelchair).
In order to facilitate the school integration of disabled children, action to enhance awareness of the subject of inclusive education is organised for school heads, teachers and parents of both disabled and non-disabled children. Regular workshops take place, at which participants learn how to deal correctly with the disabled.
Furthermore, 60 teachers who have at least one disabled child in their class regularly attend in-service training courses on the subject of inclusive education and specific support.
Total project cost: (2017-2020): €241 674,78
80% of this amount will be provided by the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry. The remaining 20% (€53 168,40) be covered by CSI together with the partner organisation.
