Disability does not mean you cannot enjoy a fulfilling career; however, many handicapped people in Vietnam still meet with plenty of obstacles while trying to create a living for themselves. Therefore, drastic measures to help businesses run by people with disabilities to overcome difficulties are seriously needed.
Differently-abled people have long been contributing to the society and localities, in every aspect of life, most noticeably their craftsmanship. With undoubtedly skillful workmanship and determination, handicrafts made by differently-abled people have made captured hearts of many people and improved their living standards. Still, they still face tremendous obstacles in looking for a stable output for their products.
Le Ma Luong, Chairman of Vietnam Business Association of Invalids and People with Disabilities told reporters: "What we concern about is how to safeguard a stable output for all the handicraft products and leverage them in the international market. Despite the handicraft’s exceptional quality and proper investment from capable agencies, it still struggles to find a firm foothold in domestic and international markets."
Capital for business development and day-to-day business operation is also a significant factor as most of the handicapped live in poverty and cannot finance the investment in machinery or purchase required material. Access to necessary loans still poses as a challenge to them.
According to Hoang Xuan Hanh, Director of Vietnam Job Consulting and Assistance Joint Stock Company, many credit institutions are reluctant to lend us sufficient capital for business development. Moreover, there is a lack of policies regarding the mechanism for people with disabilities to loan capital to grow their businesses.
To date, disabled people have operated close to 700 production establishments in Vietnam, creating more than 40,000 jobs with an average monthly income of between 5 and 7 million VND (220 – 308 USD).
It is suggested that authorities of different levels direct the organisation of more vocational training classes for disabled people, and help their production facilities obtain loans at low interest rates and distribute their goods.-VNA
