Global Newsletter – February and March 2021

Dear Friends and Supporters,

We’ve been serving vulnerable road users for more than two decades and what we found to be incredibly special is our ability to work with diverse members of the community towards common goals.

Uplifting young people and supporting them as leaders is something we value both outside of our organization and within our organization. We’re so proud to announce three of AIP Foundation’s very own have been recognized and accredited for their proficiency and contributions in road safety by iRAP.

Recognizing that everyone has a role to play in society is pivotal for success and, through recruiting eight new factories, we’re able to expand our Commuting Safety for Cambodian Workers program to protect women’s rights to work with less barriers.

By supporting students from low-income families and empowering teachers to educate the next generation of road users by launching the new VIA - Global Road Safety Education program in Thailand, more young road users are getting the support they need.

Parents become the first major influence on a child’s life and, by imparting skills on how to be responsible road users, we believe that parents will positively influence their child to be the same.

As children grow older, they will remember moments when they were offered a helping hand. We’re always very excited when our supporters participate in events with us like UPS assisting with proper helmet-use demonstrations in Thailand or Prudential Vietnam organizing and facilitating in a full-day of road safety activities.

We’re certainly excited about what’s to come in the future as we continue to save lives through our partnerships in its many forms. It is evident that no matter how different we are in background, we can all find common ground—building safe, sustainable cities for those who need it most.

Please read on.

Kind regards,

Mirjam Sidik
CEO, AIP Foundation

Table of Contents

Global

Vietnam

Cambodia

Thailand

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Global

Vietnamese youth in road safety get internationally recognized

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam—March 29, 2021

	Ms. My Huynh, Program Assistant (left), Ms. Minh Vo, Monitoring & Evaluation Junior Coordinator (center), and Ms. Quyen Bui, Program Assistant, from AIP Foundation share their excitement as they become recognized for their achievements from iRAP.

Vietnamese youth leaders have determined that “enough is enough” as they fight against the very issue that impacts them most. Three youth leaders at AIP Foundation are being internationally recognized for their contributions in road safety.

Star Rating for Schools Master Trainer

Ms. Minh Vo, Monitoring & Evaluation Jr. Coordinator at AIP Foundation, becomes Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) Master Trainer, a Youth Star Program, supported by FedEx and managed by iRAP and YOURS. SR4S is a systematic evidence-based approach developed by iRAP to measure, monitor and communicate the risk on roads around schools. It supports quick interventions that save lives and prevent serious injuries from day one. SR4S allows easy assessment of each road feature that affect pedestrian safety on a journey to school and uses evidence-based research of their impact on safety. A “star rating” can be calculated at spot locations, where 1-star is the least safe and 5-star is the safest.

As a Master Trainer, she is responsible for delivering SR4S training to new members and coalition partners to improve roads safety around school zones. Master Trainers are equipped with knowledge about SR4S methodology, assessment planning, SR4S tools, road attribute coding and post-training support. “Decisions should not be made in isolation. It’s important to engage the youth whenever possible when it affects our livelihood. I’m honored to be a Master Trainer in this program, because I know I’m making a difference and that my voice matters,” Ms. Minh Vo said.

Currently, Ms. Minh Vo, along with 3 other Master Trainers from Kenya, Belize, and Colombia, are conducting the first ever SR4S training for members of the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety.

iRAP Accreditation

Ms. Quyen Bui and Ms. My Huynh, Program Assistants at AIP Foundation completed a course organized by Ministry of Transport and the Australian Government and delivered by iRAP, dedicated to road safety engineers, experts, and professionals working in the field.

“The Star Rating Demonstrator is such a great tool to learn and gives me a greater understanding of what needs to be prioritized when upgrading road infrastructure. This allows me to assess risks better, which ultimately helps me serve my community.” Ms. My Huynh expressed.

The course focuses on capacity-building leaders to take on technical road analysis including:
● Star Rating Demonstrator – a tool for simulating star ratings for 100m roads.
● Star Rating for Design – an injury and fatality prevention app that empowers engineer designers to assess the safety or road design and improve its star rating before beginning road construction.
● Fatal and Serious Injuries Estimation and Safer Road Investment Plan – tools that help estimate road casualties and simulate effective intervention solutions for the route, thereby improving the safety star rating of those roads.

Once completing the course, consultants are part of an exclusive highly trained group that is able to perform iRAP-specific activities at an international standard.

“Having participated in the course and received the iRAP accreditation on Road Attribute Coding, I learned a lot about the technical aspects of road safety assessment and interventions that are suitable to the local context. Moreover, it is not only a form of personal recognition but also a great motivation for me to contribute to road safety program in Vietnam,” Ms. Quyen Bui proudly shared.

All three of AIP Foundation’s road safety youth leaders have been participating in ongoing global workshops, training, and campaigns to better serve underprivileged communities in Vietnam.

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Vietnam

Working towards safer school commutes in rural Vietnam with Prudential Vietnam

DAK LAK AND BAC GIANG PROVINCE, Vietnam—March 23-26, 2021

Students race to complete the series of street signs puzzles against other teams.

AIP Foundation identified two schools in Dak Lak and Bac Giang Provinces to take part in a series of events as part of the SAFE STEPS KIDS – Road Safety (SSK-RS) program, supported by Prudential Vietnam Assurance, Ltd., where more than 1,600 students participated.

The event series takes an interactive approach to road safety education, which included various play-based “edutainment” activities. Activities included dancing and trivia in road safety themes: Helmet Safety and Pedestrian Safety. Students were given real traffic situations where they needed to recall defensive road user skills they learned from previous safety education events under the SSK-RS Program. The Program was not just ambitious in providing children with road safety skills, but a key element of the program was to further develop each child’s confidence by encouraging each student to actively take part in training and activities.

“It’s been such a pleasure to partner with teachers and Prudential Vietnam to deliver educational activities outside of the classroom setting. This form of education has been an effective way to get students engaged and excited—it’s evident in their big, bright smiles,” Mrs. Giang Nguyen, Program Manager proudly shared.

SAFE STEPS KIDS (SSK) is a multi-platform public service program created by Prudence Foundation, in partnership with International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Cartoon Network. Since 2020, the SSK – Road Safety program has been implemented in Vietnam alongside AIP Foundation. By organizing awareness campaigns, teacher trainings, safety education workshops, and modifications of school zone infrastructures, students are provided a safer commute to and from school.

To view more photos from the events, please here.

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Cambodia

Factory workers’ rights protected with program expansion in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—February 8-12, 2021

Factory management taking notes down of ideas to improve commuting conditions for their workers' safety.

Located just outside the Cambodian capital, Kampong Chhnang Province is home to many factory workers who endure dangerous commutes to and from work—many as primary care providers for their family. In the second week of February, the Commuting Safety for Cambodian Workers (CSCW) program, supported by USAID and Solidarity Centre, recruited eight new factories to protect workers’ rights.

AIP Foundation organized a kick-off meeting with management from all eight factories introducing the CSCW program overview including strengthening relationships with unions, engaging stakeholders at the local and national level, and how imperative management’s role is in improving the safety of their workers. They presented positive outcomes of previous CSCW program activities such as training, workshops, experience sharing, and actionable feedback.

All eight factory management representatives expressed their eagerness and enthusiasm for the Program and will schedule dates ahead to attend workshops.

To view more pictures from the event, please click here.

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Thailand

Students from low-income families in Thailand catch a life-saving break

MUEANG NAKHON SI THAMMARAT DISTRICT, Thailand—February 11, 2021

Students eagerly take part in answering a series of road safety questions.

While educators, parents, and the general community in Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat District are supportive of wearing helmets while riding motorbikes, helmet-wearing rates are still a challenge—this is especially true for families in low-income regions because of accessibility and affordability. Through the Chevron Street Wise program, supported by Chevron, over 300 students received helmets to keep them protected while traveling as passengers on motorbikes.

Five project schools in Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat District, Thailand were selected based on a road risk assessment, which reported a low helmet-wearing rate and a higher risk of road crashes. It was reported that many families in the District support helmet use especially for their child, but could not afford them. The Chevron Street Wise program, led by AIP Foundation, brought government officials, representatives from Chevron, school administrators, and teachers together to personally deliver helmets to students.

In addition to receiving helmets, students were eagerly taking part in educational games that would help them navigate their commute to and from school safely, including spotting dangerous blind spots and crossing streets with the spatial awareness of oncoming vehicles.

To view more photos from the event, please click here.

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Empowering teachers to educate the next generation of road users in Thailand

PHRA PRADAENG DISTRICT, Thailand—March 12, 2021

A teacher from Phra Pradaeng District reviews the VIA - Global Road Safety Education training handbook.

AIP Foundation in Thailand conducted the first workshop of the VIA - Global Road Safety Education program by training 15 teachers in Phra Pradaeng District. Representatives from Michelin and from Total were participating. The Program will encourage Thai teachers through a series of training sessions to impart road safety knowledge and skills to students ages ranging from 10 – 18 at our five target schools.

The VIA-GRSEM program was built on internationally recognized child road safety education best practices, which drew from the experience of road safety practitioners from a breadth of industries and from the knowledge of the global GRSP Expert Team. The Program was developed to be easily integrated and adapted into current road safety initiatives.

“We are implementing the first phase of VIA in Thailand collaborating closely with Michelin, Total and the GRSP also with strong support from education authorities, school management and teachers in the target province. Everyone involved in implementing VIA is enthusiastic about it. We hope to use skills and lessons learned from this phase to effectively expand to many more schools in the next school semester – particularly, to illustrate that VIA can easily be incorporated in class programs with full pedagogical values,” Mrs. Ratanawadee H. Winther, Chairperson of AIP Foundation Thailand and AIP Foundation Denmark shared.

With proven success in France, Cameroon, and India, VIA Program will enhance the capacity of teachers in Thailand to undertake road safety training for their schools, specifically in Phra Pradaeng District where the industrial district has resulted in high-density traffic in the morning and evening during rush hours.

The VIA - Global Road Safety Education Program is globally managed by the Global Road Safety Partnership, a hosted program within the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies under contract with the Total Foundation and Michelin Corporate Foundation and implemented by AIP Foundation.

To view more photos from the event, please click here.

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Lifting barriers to education in Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand—March 14, 2021

Parents participating in a presentation on defensive road user skills to avoid traffic crashes.

Road injuries and fatalities still remain a challenge and leading cause of death for children causing dangerous commutes to and from school, which can subsequently affect their access to education. Parents are helping children reclaim their streets by participating in a road safety training session hosted by AIP Foundation through the Safety Delivered program.

Parents play a critical role in the development and safety of their children including making sure they can get to school and back safely. More than 70 parents of students from 11 schools in Bangkok participated in the Safety Delivered program’s training to increase their knowledge on safer student commutes. The event focused on defensive pedestrian and motorbike skills followed by an open forum where parents had the opportunity to discuss and share ideas.

The Safety Delivered program, supported by The UPS Foundation, takes a holistic approach to road safety by engaging various members of the community like parents and teachers. This ensures those closest to children are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to keep them safe.

To view more photos, please click here.

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Making a difference in Thailand with UPS

BANGKOK, Thailand—March 15, 2021

A representative from UPS Thailand teaches a student how to buckle and fasten his helmet properly.

Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities, but can be difficult to achieve for families in low-income areas where expenses are high, but employment is low? Through the Safety Delivered program, supported by The UPS Foundation, more than 2,500 helmets went to students at six schools in Bangkok, Thailand where excessive speed limits put them at risk every day on their commute to and from school.

Road crashes still remain the leading cause of death for children and young adults; this is especially true for students in Bangkok who struggle to arrive to and from school safely. In order to support students and their families, The UPS Foundation partnered with AIP Foundation targeting areas where helmet-wearing rate is low, but traffic density surrounding schools is high.

“Traffic crashes take dreams away from children faster than any other cause of death. With the long-standing support of The UPS Foundation, we’ve been able to address road safety from a holistic approach to give the next generation a chance to turn their dreams into reality,” said Mrs. Sumalee Pratoomnun, Senior Project Office of AIP Foundation.

The UPS Foundation has been supporting students and families through the AIP Foundation’s Safety Delivered program by raising awareness, improving driving behaviors through educational and skill-building events, and increasing child helmet use.

To view more photos from the event, please click here.

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