In June 2022, the Representative Office of JTI Vietnam, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Vietnam, successfully deployed the Housing Solutions for Persons with Disabilities program of 2022. This is a three-year initiative in JTI Vietnam’s Community Investment program, focusing on the construction of new accessible homes for marginalized individuals and minorities, particularly persons with disabilities. Prioritizing inclusivity, the program accommodates housing for various types of disabilities. The program’s outcomes include a standard manual of design features for persons with disabilities, as well as 5 accessible houses that apply features from the manual.
JTI Vietnam places emphasis on producing the technical manual of housing solutions to ensure the spread and duplication of our pilot houses in rural areas. This technical manual will then be distributed to the local authorities, local masons, construction services, and Disabled People's Organization network to enable the construction of multiple other disabled-friendly homes. Many organizations can refer to this technical manual in order to construct more accessible houses even when the Housing Solutions program has come to an end. JTI Vietnam will also provide training sessions for local masons on the use of the manual to ensure that the design features and techniques are properly executed and sustained in the longer term.
In 2022, 30 volunteers from the Representative Office of JTI Vietnam and distributors assisted with the construction and renovation of two houses in Hoa Binh and Tien Giang.
The first build event was held in Quyet Thang Commune, Hoa Binh Province – where the volunteering team was welcomed to the scenic mountains by scorching summer heat. This is home to Mrs. Bui Thi Sem and her family, one of the poorest households in the rocky Ruong Renh Hamlet. In Mrs. Sem’s family, her son suffers from mental illness, and her granddaughter suffers from autism and is disabled in both legs. Mrs. Sem is already in her 70s and takes turns with her daughter-in-law to take care of the disabled family members. With a monthly income of less than 3 million Vietnamese dong, the family is unable to afford a wheelchair. Their home was a dilapidated two-decade-old house with only one room, a kitchen, and a toilet. The deteriorated fibro-cement roof caused leaks whenever it rained, as well as an increased risk of asbestos-induced lung cancer. In the long run, the conditions are not at all ideal for Mrs. Sem’s family.
Through the program organized by JTI Vietnam and Habitat for Humanity, Mrs. Sem’s family received a sturdier home. On June 10th, the volunteering team visited the construction site to help finish the house. Despite the scorching heat, the team enthusiastically finished the painting on both the exterior and interior, allowing Mrs. Sem and her family to finally have a renovated living space. Upon completion, the family home was fully equipped with design features friendly for the granddaughter’s mobility impairment, including step-free entryway, corridor handrail, as well as toilets with grab bars and non-slip floor.
For the second build event, a narrow road led the team to a dilapidated house made of degraded materials in Muon Nghiep Hamlet, Binh Dong Commune, Go Cong Town, Tien Giang Province, where Mrs. Phan Thi Lang's large family has lived for decades. Mrs. Lang is an 84-year-old who is visually impaired. She lives with her son Ru, who is frequently ill, rendering him unable to work manually. They rely mostly on the monthly social payment for the elderly and those with disabilities of one million Vietnamese dong, sometimes supplemented with rice or other minor local expenditures. Their home was constructed of mixed wood boards and a rusted iron frame, and the roof was built of fibro-cement sheets containing asbestos, a hazardous material to one's health. The roof regularly leaked, causing flooding during the rainy season, and could easily collapsed if there was a storm.
From morning to noon of June 17th, 20 volunteers tirelessly assisted with the preparation of building materials, and the building process under the supervision of a local mason. The new house was built with an inclusive design for persons with visual impairment, such as a new sturdy foundation, additional handrails, pillars, brick walls, cement floor, a tiled roof, along with a hygienic latrine.
Through this program, JTI Vietnam aims to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and encourage them to be more proactive in taking charge of their own safety and well-being.
Some photos from the programme:
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