Australian embassy donates orthopedic devices to disabled

The Australian Embassy on Sunday donated orthopedic devices to the Advising and Aiding Center on Orthopedic Devices for Disabled Persons in Hanoi.

The donation is one of a number of small-scale projects funded by the embassy through its direct assistance program worth AUD96,000 (US$72,000) for Vietnam in the 2008- 2009 fiscal year. Under the same program, the embassy has implemented various aid projects in Hanoi and the northern provinces of Dien Bien, Bac Kan, Hung Yen, Hai Duong and Bac Ninh. Michael Hoy, the Australian Embassy’s third secretary said he hopes the project will encourage those more fortunate to reach out and help Vietnam’s disadvantaged. The projects, which focus on the environment, healthcare, education and vocational training, have benefited many people, particularly parents and children living with HIV/AIDS in remote mountainous areas. Reported by Vinh Bao