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Global Newsletter – April 2021 |
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Dear Friends and Supporters, This is a special month for us as we work collectively with people and organizations all over the world during UN Global Road Safety Week. We officially launched the Feasibility Study for the Prevention & Participation program with the Center for Policy Studies in Cambodia to examine and identify best methods and practices of transitioning from unsafe collective transport to safer alternatives. After five years of supporting low-income families through the Chevron Street Wise program in Thailand, we organized a workshop to assess the program’s impact and sustainability efforts as we prepare for the next phase. Working to support young people will always be an important part of road safety sustainability. In early April, we organized a road safety skill-building event for over 400 students, teachers, and school administrators through the Helmets for Kids program in Vietnam. Our Chairperson of AIP Foundation Thailand and AIP Foundation Denmark, Mrs. Ratanawadee H. Winther was featured in GRSP’s VIA Community Newsletter highlighting the ways in which we continued to support communities in Thailand despite the challenges of COVID-19. As we move into UN Global Road Safety Week, we believe that individuals have a right to use their roads safely. Join us in signing the Open Letter to call for 30 km/h speed limits worldwide. Together, our vision of a world where people can walk, live, and play without barriers can be a reality. Please read on. Kind regards, Mirjam Sidik
#ICYMI: We launched our 2020 Impact Report demonstrating how our work integrates and aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. |
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Vietnam |
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Cambodia |
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Thailand |
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Related News |
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Employment Opportunities
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Vietnam |
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Vietnamese garment factory personally gives back to the community BINH XUYEN DISTRICT, Vietnam—April 8, 2021
Binh Xuyen District is at the epicenter of Vietnam’s northern industrial zone, leaving a significant part of the population at risk as they commute into the District for work. Vietnam Garments Manufacturing, Ltd. (VNG) has been taking the lead in mitigating these risks with AIP Foundation by delivering safety equipment and imparting road safety skills for over 400 students, teachers, and school administrators through the Helmets for Kids (HFK) program at Son Loi A Primary School. Located in Vinh Phuc Province, Binh Xuyen connects four national highways, thus making it a popular “industrial zone” and where VNG happens to operate. While this makes it ideal for big businesses, it’s less ideal for young people who face barriers on their commute to school as they try and navigate safely using roads where vehicles travel well past speed limits. VNG is on a mission to find sustainable solutions as they recognize the risks road users face. “We’re proud to lead the Helmets for Kids program with AIP Foundation for the past several years. We’ve been able to support families and communities by preparing the next generation of road users to be responsible leaders in road safety. We hope that the program will encourage not only primary school students, but also their parents and the community to do the same” Managing Director of VNG, Mr. Kevin Zheng shared. Mr. Nguyen Trong Thai, Chief Secretariat of National Traffic Safety Committee said at the event, “I would like to request all teachers to instruct and remind students to follow the regulations of traffic safety law and to wear a helmet when commuting by motorbike or electric bicycle. I also suggest to consistently monitor and ensure the rate of wearing helmets remains stable. I encourage parents to create a habit of wearing helmets for your children, and always remember the message ‘love your child, wear a helmet’ for the safety of our children.” The Helmets for Kids program disseminates road safety knowledge and raises awareness among students, teachers, and parents in order to be better equipped and protected as road users. A key objective of the HFK program is to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries by distributing high-quality helmets. “Private corporations have an important role to play in communities where they establish their businesses. Companies like VNG are exemplary in their corporate social responsibility efforts to pave the way for others to follow and we’re delighted to have staff volunteers participate in today’s event,” Mr. Greig Craft, Founder and President of AIP Foundation said. Since its inception in 2018, nearly 1,400 students in Vinh Phuc Province received helmets to keep them safe going to and from school through the Helmets for Kids program. To view more photos from the event, please click here. |
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Making road safety efforts sustainable in Thailand SONGKHLA PROVINCE, Thailand—April 3, 2021
After five years of supporting low-income families through the Chevron Street Wise (CSW) program, AIP Foundation and Chevron organized a workshop to assess the Program’s impact and sustainability efforts as they prepare for the next phase. Chevron, AIP Foundation, Thai government officials, local official facilitators including government health organizations, and school administrators spent the morning reviewing the CSW program including achievements, challenges and how to overcome them and amplify their efforts. “One way that guarantees sustainability of the Chevron Street Wise program is by integrating these activities into the school’s annual budget plan, that way each child is gaining access to important knowledge and skills to keep them safe,” Mrs. Untika Inkaew, Master Teacher under the CSW program said. The Chevron Street Wise program targeted 11 primary schools to implement road safety activities and distribute safety equipment. Majority of students come from low-income families where a survey reported that many parents were in favor of wearing a helmet, but could not financially do so. Since the program’s implementation, nearly 9,000 members of the community received defensive road user skills including students, parents, and teachers. Mr. Nattawut Chainarong, Shorebase Manager, Chevron shared, “Over the past five years since pioneering the CSW program, the result of changes in road usage behavior of Songkhla people especially, the rate of helmet wearing of children and their parents have increased in all participating schools. In addition, many schools have integrated the program education component into the course curriculum such as traffic management in front of the school, school radios, road safety corners, and other activities outside of the classroom. These achievements arose from the dedication and cooperation of all partners in Songkhla Province.’’ In closing the workshop, participant held a brainstorming session to discuss activities for the next phase of the program, which included discussions around piloting a “road safety week.” Chevron Street Wise incorporates road safety education, extracurricular activities, parental and community activities, capacity-building events into a targeted approach to improve pedestrian and helmet skills of road users. To view more photos from the event, please click here. |
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