At the beginning of the month, I arrived in my new placement location: Đức Linh, the third center of Thiện Chí in the province of Lâm Đồng, in southern Vietnam. The town is about an hour and a half from Tánh Linh and is slightly larger.
Like in the other centers, Thiện Chí here carries out its core activities such as microcredit programs, agricultural models, and scholarship support. However, Đức Linh is also home to something unique: a Center for Early Intervention and Access to Education for disadvantaged children with special needs.
In this center, three specialized teachers work with around 25 children who attend several sessions per week, each lasting about an hour and a half. The children supported here have conditions such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or hyperactivity. The goal is to help them improve their concentration, communication, eye contact, writing, social skills, speech and more through adapted learning and play activities.
The facilities include small classrooms and a dedicated play area with tools such as a trampoline, a ball pit, and various games to support motor and sensory development. Each month, the teachers create a personalized plan for every child with objectives, activities, and exercises. Parents are also encouraged to participate, with activities to continue at home and regular follow-up on progress.
Before being admitted, each child must first receive an official diagnosis from a clinic in Ho Chi Minh City. Once enrolled, every child has a small notebook that tracks their progress, evaluations, and notes. Around 30% of the children have autism.
The contribution for the sessions depends on each family’s situation, parents pay what they can, according to their means.
Every day, the children take part in activities that develop psychomotor skills, patience, recognition, writing, and creativity.
Leticia