SHARING ON GEDSI AND ABCD APPROACH

Following the action plan, fiscal year 2023 – 2024 of the “Together We Can” project funded by Caritas Australia and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), during three days in early November 2023, SRD collaborated with the project Steering Board and Commune People’s Committees in Trieu Phong district to organize three training in Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Strategy and Asset based Community Development (ABCD) approach. There were 90 participants who are PwDs and parents of children with disabilities as key members of the club and social policy staff from three project communes.

GEDSI and ABCD are two among key approaches applied during the design and implementation process of the project “Together We Can” with an aim to promote the participation of women, people with disabilities and caregivers of the severe people with disabilities into different activities such as inclusive education and community based disaster risk management, livelihood improvement and jobs opportunities as well as organizational development of the people with disabilities in a way that available resources on spot brought into full play, self-decision making and self-management. Below are some of the feedbacks of the participants.

“There might still some discrimination to people with disabilities, however throught the training I do gain self- confidence. I am a severe person with disability with limited opportunities to go out. I then find the training very interesting with useful information.”

“After a stroke, it was difficult for me to speak and I became less confident. Since joining the project with various activities and other people with other disabilities, I found myself opener and more confident. Learning about disabilities, equality and social inclusion from the training, I understand that difference should be respected, no more inferiority and everyone has their dignity and personal value.”

“Participating into the project, we have our own way and managing our group work and organization, such as through Village Saving and Loan Associate, we can make our own decision in buying shares, social contribution and making decision in who can get loan for doing what.”

“We are doing together, participating together and having our own in making decision, knowing how to mobilize our available resources with other support from outside. For instance, we as parents run the community-based class to create learning and playing opportunities for our children with disabilities.”