EFD Programs >> Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Through the Infrastructure Program EFD provides local organisations with the opportunity to obtain small scale funding for projects that create or strengthen educational opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth. The funding provided through this program is intended to support the local organisations in improving and developing the infrastructure needed for the functioning of their organisations. Each year local organisations can apply for the support under this program. In all cases, recipients of a small grant are selected on the merits of their proposal and its potential contribution to advancing EFD's mission.

Building a computer training system and providing online computer training for blind people at Sao Mai Computer Center

Sao Mai Computer Center for the blind is the first center in Vietnam established to provide a computer education service to the blind. The project is going to develop an online training system that is appropriate and accessible for blind people and develop online computer curriculum to enable 100 blind youth students to apply computer skills to their learning and working. The Center was set up in 2001 by HCMC Association of Saving Disabled Children, which is a non-government organization directly under Vietnam Association of Saving Disabled Children. Sao Mai is a non-profit organization and has trained around 400 blind students from around the whole country. Computer skills and IT knowledge are ever more important for workers in Vietnam today. The blind in Vietnam have limited access to educational services and this limitation prevents them from social-professional integration. The project aims to enhance opportunities for youth with visual disabilities to study online in order to assist them integrate socially and professionally into the workforce to improve their quality of life.

Improving the quality of education for deaf students at the Anh Minh School for Deaf

Anh Minh School for the deaf children has provided education to around 157 deaf students in HCMC annually. The goal of the school is to help students with disabilities improve hearing and speaking of Vietnamese. Anh Minh School has been operating under the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres. Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres are united by the ideal of Marie Anne de Tilly and her companions. Since the inception, they have been committed to the education of children, the care of the sick and the handicapped. The school has used different teaching methods to help students improve their ability to hear and speak however up until now the the results have been limited., EFD is now working with the school to improve the quality of training to support 157 deaf students to go through the new training at Anh Minh School each year. The aim is that all students will have improved hearing and speaking skills in order to understand and make their reactions understood to the surrounding world.

Developing Vocational Training on Catering and Hospitality for disadvantaged adolescents in HCMC

HCMC Catering and Hospitality School is providing vocational training for disadvantaged youth in HCMC aged from 16-20yrs to help them with social-professional integration. The School applied for a new project aimed at supporting vocational training and educational services targeting disadvantaged youth in Ho Chi Minh City. The project will meet students’ employment requirements of the hospitality industry so that youth graduating from the Catering School will have greater success at finding employment thanks to increased knowledge and skills. The project direct beneficiaries are around 140 disadvantaged adolescents at the Catering School in one year.