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Global Newsletter – January 2021 |
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Dear Friends and Supporters, We’re starting the year off positive, with guided action towards accelerated changes, in road safety. That begins with listening to the youth and embracing the space for our youth to lead and drive change . We must look towards the youth as we continue to build on the next generation of road safety leaders by working with university students and faculty members in Cambodia. We also spent time with teachers to develop road safety lesson plans and organized a day to paint murals around O Ambel Primary School as part of an artistic creative expression for social change.We held our first event in Myanmar for the year where nearly 900 helmets were distributed to teachers and students. While the pandemic has halted physical gatherings, that hasn’t stopped educators from Mandaluyong Elementary School in Manila from turning to creative screen time amid lockdown in the Philippines. Despite monsoon season, we successfully organized road safety trainings for over 1,000 students and teachers, where we distributed high-quality helmets keeping them protected as they commute to and from school in areas where road modifications were conducted in Thailand. As road traffic injuries remain one of the biggest public health crisis that is largely ignored, Vietnam is continuing to pave the path forward where members of the government, local school board, and parents met to discuss successes, challenges, and plans to protect the community, especially children. Our efforts would not be possible without the support and commitment of our partners worldwide. This month, we extend our sincerest gratitude to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City where they spent time with children with disabilities for International Day of Persons with Disabilities. They also spent time at our Safety Delivered program’s closing event and even participated in a dancing showcase of their own. As our Chairperson of AIP Foundation Thailand and AIP Foundation Denmark, Mrs. Ratana Winther, shared in Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety’s newsletter, “There is a window of opportunity to revive the Stockholm agenda,” and we’re looking to amplify our efforts thanks to your support. Please read on. Kind regards, Mirjam Sidik
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Global |
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Vietnam |
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Cambodia |
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Thailand |
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Myanmar |
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Philippines |
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Thien Nhan & Friends News |
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Related News |
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Employment Opportunities
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Global |
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Young people are going on a mandatory lockdown demanding the right to safe roads HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam–January 15, 2021
What happens when young people are tired of being left out of decisions that will impact their future? A coalition of youth are taking action for safer mobility and championing youth participation in road safety declaring, “We are #ClaimingOurSpace!” Road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death for young people worldwide for over a decade, yet despite this fact, young people are often excluded from discussions around preventative measures. The Youth Coalition for Road Safety ran a digital campaign named, “Youth in lockdown,” to generate awareness and called on youth leaders to join the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety. The campaign was based on the story of Alex, a young girl who shares her experience of going on a mandatory lockdown, not for the pandemic, but for the simple fact that she does not feel safe going out on the streets considering the loss of loved ones and the crisis that is negatively impacting her peers. Following the video, viewers are directed to www.lockdownforyouth.com where they can pledge their support by joining the Youth Coalition. As a member of the Coalition, Minh Vo, Junior Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator at AIP Foundation, was selected to represent Asia to promote the campaign. Watch the full video here. |
Vietnam |
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Special needs students and their teachers receive quality helmets and road safety training during International Day of Persons with Disabilities HANOI, Vietnam – December 3, 2020
To commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, AIP Foundation organized a Helmets for Kids program donation event at Binh Minh Primary School, an educational institution dedicated to serving children with special needs. Participating students and teachers at Binh Minh Primary School received helmets from Protec, whose own workforce includes a large number of team members with special needs. Students also received a helmet-wearing tutorial along with road safety training. This year’s theme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Building Back Better,” whose primary focus is to create a more disability-inclusive, accessible, and sustainable world. The U.S. government has taken concrete strides in reducing physical and social barriers for people with disabilities in Vietnam by providing nearly $125 million of support since 1989. The Government of Vietnam has also made improving the well-being of people with disabilities a high priority of national interest. Between 2012 and 2020, the Government of Vietnam has spent over $13 million annually to support persons with disabilities in accordance with Decision 1019. In August 2020 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also signed a decision to continue support programs for persons with disabilities for 2021-2030. The Helmets for Kids program has been a signature project of AIP Foundation since its launch during the historic U.S. presidential visit to Vietnam in 2000. Since its inception, 1 million helmets have been distributed through Helmets for Kids to primary students throughout Vietnam. This project has served as a continued reminder of the importance of U.S.-Vietnam relations, with a particular focus on proper road safety education and helmet-wearing. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink and Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc joined the event to express their solidarity and support for the program. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink participated in this event by delivering remarks, distributing helmets as well as enthusiastically taking part in the helmet-wearing tutorial with participating students. Against the backdrop of the 25th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations, Ambassador Kritenbrink’s participation in the engagement demonstrated steadfast U.S. support for social inclusion initiatives in Vietnam while bolstering U.S.-Vietnam people-to-people ties. Ambassador Kritenbrink expressed his sincere appreciation to the AIP Foundation, Protec, UPS, and AA Vietnam for continuing to implement this meaningful and life-changing event year after year while highlighting the transformational impact that their efforts have had. “This is precisely why the U.S. Mission in Vietnam is so delighted to partner with AIP Foundation, Protec, and UPS to distribute helmets to vulnerable communities across Vietnam while equipping them with the life-preserving knowledge they need to remain safe as they transit Vietnam’s roadways,” Ambassador Kritenbrink stated while highlighting the fact that Vietnamese commuters are much safer and more cognizant than they have ever been of the paramount importance of wearing helmets and practicing road traffic safety thanks to the efforts of these organization. Vietnam’s Ambassador to the United States Hà Kim Ngọc, who joined the event virtually from Washington, D.C., said “Over the past 25 years since the establishment of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations, the Vietnamese people and children have received a lot of support from U.S. NGOs, including AIP Foundation, together with the Administration, Congress and business community. We very much appreciate that Mr. Greig Craft and the AIP Foundation have made a lot of efforts in raising the awareness of road safety and providing helmets to many schools in Viet Nam. Nowadays, the Vietnamese school-children have become the change agents for a society of safer road users.” To read the full press release, please click here. To view more photos, please click here. |
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The U.S. diplomatic team jumps in on Vietnam’s road safety dance challenge HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam—December 21, 2020
After a successful dance challenge among students in Vietnam under AIP Foundation’s Safety Delivered program, the road safety charity received an exciting surprise via Facebook that the U.S. Consulate of Ho Chi Minh City did their very own dance cover and nominated other diplomats including the U.S. Embassy. In October and November, AIP Foundation launched a dance cover challenge where students in Vietnam demonstrated how they wear their helmets properly. This came after the Safety Delivered program, supported by The UPS Foundation, released a public service announcement led by young celebrity, Ngan Chi, encouraging children to not only learn proper helmet use but also invite their peers to join in as well. The campaign received more than 2,000 submissions. Watch the U.S. Consulate General of Ho Chi Minh City’s video here. |
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U.S. Consulate General HCMC, Vietnamese government, and private sector partners promote road safety awareness for children in Vietnam HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam—December 29, 2020
Worldwide, more than a million children and young people suffer head injuries due to road crashes. The financial costs of this road crash crisis impact high-income countries, but disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries and their vulnerable road users. In Vietnam, 2,150 children lose their lives each year on the country’s roads. In the lead-up to the new year, the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City joined representatives of the Vietnamese government and UPS Vietnam to promote child helmet safety and encourage safer behaviors of students, teachers, and their parents on the roads at a closing event for the Safety Delivered program. At the event, representatives of AIP Foundation, the U.S. Consulate General HCMC, UPS Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City officials of the Traffic Safety Committee, Department of Education and Training, and Public Security Agency joined students, parents, and teachers at program schools to raise awareness of the life-saving importance of helmet-wearing among children and in communities. The event showcased achievements in child helmet-wearing at program schools through Safety Delivered activities and featured an award ceremony to winners of AIP Foundation’s “Three Steps, Be Safe” helmet safety dance competition, which also received a creative submission from the U.S. Consulate General HCMC. The Safety Delivered program is supported by The UPS Foundation and implemented by AIP Foundation in Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The program aims to reduce road crash injuries and fatalities among vulnerable motorcyclists by working with young drivers to improve their driving behaviors and by increasing child helmet use. In Vietnam, the program delivers road safety education to children and promotes access to safety equipment through the distribution of helmets. Through its work, AIP Foundation has expanded to advocate for and shed light on the need for increased helmet quality in Vietnam to better protect vulnerable road users. The second of the two-day closing event will be hosted in the program’s northern province, Thai Nguyen, where the Safety Delivered program will share the program’s achievements and challenges ahead with honored guests and attendees. To view more photos from the event in Ho Chi Minh City, please click here. |
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Tackling Vietnam’s public health crisis head-on TUYEN QUANG PROVINCE, Vietnam—January 11, 2021
With road traffic injuries being a leading cause of death and injury worldwide, this results in a major public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Vietnam, where 2-wheel transportation is an increasingly common transport, head and neck protection becomes a primary concern in preventing death. AIP Foundation tackles this issue head-on in three provinces significantly increasing the helmet-wearing rate to 86% where pre-intervention rates were as low as 15%. Through the Helmets for Kids program, supported by Johnson & Johnson, AIP Foundation conducted midterm review workshops in Thai Nguyen, Yen Bai, and Tuyen Quang Provinces to assess progress made since the Program’s implementation last year. With over 5,000 distributed, the Program reported a 71% increase in helmet-wearing rate post-intervention. Not only does helmet intervention save families, many of whom live in poverty, healthcare costs associated with crashes, but helmets also decrease the risk and severity of injuries that children may encounter in the event of a collision by about 72%. In addition to the distribution of protective equipment, both students and teachers participated in “edutainment” activities focused on proper helmet use and skills to navigate and use roads safely early on in the Program’s implementation. The midterm review workshops discussed achievements made in each province, along with challenges and how to effectively work through the challenges in the future. Representatives from each province’s Traffic Safety Committee (TSC), Department of Education and Training (DoET), and Bureau of Education and Training (BoET), school administrators from 16 project schools, and AIP Foundation were in attendance for each province’s respective workshop. With low helmet-wearing rates, roads with high traffic from highways, railways, and bypasses between communes, and high poverty rates, the Helmets for Kids program, supported by Johnson & Johnson since 2004, aims to improve road safety knowledge, provide high-quality helmets to students and teachers at program schools who become role models and educate parents as key decision-makers in their children’s helmet use. These approaches ensure communities are equipped and better able to reduce the risks of losing their main mode of transportation or medical costs, which would force them into deeper poverty. To view more pictures from the three workshops, please click here. |
Cambodia |
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AIP Foundation continues to build the next generation of road safety leaders PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—December 28 – 30, 2020
Young people are very vulnerable road users. In 2018, 45% of all road fatalities in Cambodia were road users between the ages of 15 – 29. This vulnerability is echoed across the globe, with road crashes being the leading cause of early death and years spent living with disabilities for people aged 10 – 24 in 2020. These statistics indicate an immediate need for intervention to instill better road user behavior and practices in young people. To ensure the sustainability of the Safety Delivered program, AIP Foundation conducted a second Training of Trainers (ToT) program in COVID-19 prevention context with only 20 faculty members at 20 universities in Phnom Penh. Faculty members and other relevant participants received technical skills, materials and knowledge to pass down to their students, and support to serve as positive road safety role models on campus. Participants were able to listen to and learn from previous trainees who have implemented the training activities at their workplaces. Through the Safety Delivered program, AIP Foundation is working to promote better road safety practices with young people. “Youth are the most vulnerable demographic on our roads. Safety Delivered program intends to create a change in road safety attitude. That begins by empowering youth to teach themselves and their peers, especially at university. AIP Foundation will give the tools and technical advice so that students can lead this generational change,” Mr. Pagna Kim, Country Director of AIP Foundation in Cambodia. Read the press release here. For more pictures, please click here. |
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Teachers take a vital role in road safety education for students BANTEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia – January 19, 2021
Teachers are an important part of raising the next generation. With their encouragement and the training provided, they will be a crucial part of making roads in Cambodia safer for youth. The Helmets for Families program, supported by Manulife Cambodia, hosted a workshop for teachers to develop road safety educational materials at O Ambel Primary School. During the workshop, facilitated by AIP Foundation, work plans, lesson plans, and an array of educational materials were produced in close consultation with teachers. More than 30 teachers took an active role in outlining methods to encourage safer commuting habits for their students including wearing helmets properly and practicing defensive road use like being aware of surroundings and staying alert. Drawing on the experience of teachers, teachers shared their experience and ideas on how to best communicate these materials with students. The Helmets for Families program, focuses on educating vulnerable children, their parents, and teachers to promote comprehensive education about the risk of driving a motorbike or using a bicycle without a helmet. In addition to helmets, teachers have also received information regarding other risk factors on the road such as speeding, distracted driving, drink driving, and other tips to avoid road crashes. To view more photos from the event, please click here. |
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Public cultural art for social change in Cambodia BANTHEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia–January 20, 2021
Creative expression through public art is more than just claiming space, it’s a visual expression that can inspire social change. Volunteers from Manulife Cambodia, students, teachers, and AIP Foundation painted murals and the walls at O Ambel Primary School as part of the Helmets for Families program. Colorful murals were painted around the school’s walls to encourage safer road use practices like staying alert when crossing streets, wearing a helmet while riding on a motorbike or bicycle, and checking for proper helmet use. Mr. Piseth Im, Program Manager for the Helmets for Families program, shared, “This is a great opportunity for all of us to create visual reminders for students and the wider community to prioritize safety first.” The Helmets for Families program focuses on increasing helmet use and road safety knowledge of students, teachers, and parents at target schools and raising awareness in surrounding communities like O Ambel Primary School where helmet-wearing rates are low, yet road deaths are high. To view more photos from the event, please click here. |
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Vulnerable factory workers in Cambodia find relief through road safety charity PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – January 25-28, 2021
As part of the Commuting Safety for Cambodian Workers (CSCW) program, funded by USAID and in partnership with Solidarity Centre, AIP Foundation hosted a two-day workshop series for technical staff of union federations and trade unions, focusing on commuting safety training. The workshop had two groups, on January 25-26 and January 27-28, 2021, as a safety measure in light of the pandemic. Following the workshop series, participants will practice training in factories. Every day, around 700,000 factory workers in Cambodia put their lives at risk commuting to work on high-traffic, dangerous roads provide for their families. Cambodian workers make up almost 20% of all crash-related casualties, many of whom are women. The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Report on Annual Achievements 2019 and Action Plans 2020 revealed that 36% of all reported workers’ occupational risks involved commuting crashes, highlighting the need for intervention. AIP Foundation sought after leaders who would become advocates for better work conditions for factory workers. Leaders who attended these workshops learned about their workers’ commuting safety context, where they can make more informed decisions and apply it in their daily program for safety improvement. Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Work and Transportation and Secretary-General of the National Road Safety Committee, H.E Min Meanvy, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Work and Transportation and Secretary-General of the National Road Safety Committee shared, “Federation and trade union leaders play an important role in communicating the risks of unsafe road behavior and protecting workers by advocating for road safety policy adoption and effective enforcement at the factory level. These workshops empower worker representatives to create positive changes to commuting safety.” The training provided an opportunity for participants to learn and share experiences in an open format deepening their knowledge on risks of unsafe behavior and conditions on the road. The second day will include practical activities where participants will draw ideas on how to effectively disseminate commuting safety messages to workers. Pam Wharton, Deputy Country Program Director of Solidarity Centre, remarked, “Workers’ rights include being able to travel safely to and from work. Increasing awareness of this important issue and highlighting the safety improvements needed to prevent commuting crashes is an important part of ensuring decent work conditions for factory workers in Cambodia.” To view more photos from the event, please click here. |
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Children lead sustainable road safety efforts in southern Thailand SONGKHLA, Thailand–January 6, 2021
At AIP Foundation, we know that children are effective advocates for road safety within their families and their communities when they have access to engaging and interactive road safety education programs. Under the Street Wise program, and as a part of a student democracy promotion project, a Safety Week event was held at Wichianchom School in Songkhla, southern Thailand. Over 500 students from kindergarten to grade 6, including 150 student ambassadors and 200 teachers, were able to participate in a range of ‘bases’ to learn about a broad range of road safety issues including safely crossing the road, wearing a helmet correctly, learning all about traffic signs and driving vehicles safely. Government representatives and Chevron representatives also attended and participated in the activities to support students to learn more about road safety. The safety week event aimed to educate and empower students to become road safety advocates. Wichianchom School has been a Street Wise partner since 2016, is the sixth project school in Songkhla province, and is a model school for road safety learning. The Street Wise program, supported by Chevron, has delivered road safety education to students in Thailand since 2014. The program delivers road safety education, extracurricular activities, capacity building activities, and stakeholder engagement with students, teachers, parents, community members, and government partners to improve the pedestrian and helmet skills of road users. For more photos from the event, please click here. |
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Children in Thailand protected on the roads – despite flooding! SONGKHLA, Thailand–January 4 – 6, 2021
A ‘safe systems’ approach to road safety requires direct interventions to address a range of different challenges to keep road users safe. Direct interventions can include providing essential safety equipment, road safety education, working with government and community partners, and road infrastructure modifications. The Street Wise program, supported by Chevron, works to provide this holistic approach in Songkhla province in southern Thailand. Although the ongoing pandemic and the monsoon season have created difficulties, AIP Foundation was able to navigate flooded roads to reach 11 project schools in Singhanakhon and Muang districts in Songkhla. Students and teachers received 300 high-quality, fitted helmets that would help keep them safe on the road. The Street Wise program worked in collaboration with the Songkhla Rural Road Office to install road infrastructure modifications at Wat Ta Luang Kong School and Wat Lo Ka School in Singhanakhon district. These road infrastructure modifications created safe school zones in front of each of the schools. The safe school zones were developed based on the specific traffic and road safety challenges at each of the schools as identified by community stakeholders, including project school representatives and local road safety government organizations. The modifications include clearly marked pedestrian zones, road markings to alert drivers to the presence of the schools, and a reduction in the speed limit to 30km/h, which is in line with international best practice for school zones. View photos of the school zone modifications and the helmet distribution here. |
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Students and teachers equipped to lead the road safety crisis in Myanmar MANDALAY, Myanmar – January 8, 2021
Although helmets are proven to reduce the risk of deaths by 42% and serious head injuries by 69%, challenges still exist in both accessibility to safety equipment and prevalence in helmet use. Fortunately, students at No. 20 Basic Education High School in Myanmar, received nearly 900 helmets as a part of the Safety Delivered program’s initiative to address safer commutes. After introductions and formal proceedings, both the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and school administrators thanked AIP Foundation and the Safety Delivered program’s donor, The UPS Foundation, for their contributions in helmet donations and extensive teacher training on road safety noting that teachers are instrumental in influencing students to be safer road users. During the event, AIP Foundation organized an open forum for teachers and students to articulate the benefits of wearing helmets and the dangers of driving without one. The ceremony ended with a practical demonstration of proper helmet use and an enthusiastic commitment from students to not only wear their helmets but also adhere to safe road practices. For more photos from the event, please click here. |
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Educators turn to creative screen time for road safety amid lockdown in the Philippines MANILA, Philippines—December 8, 2020
While the pandemic has halted physical gatherings, that hasn’t stopped educators from Mandaluyong Elementary School in Manila from gaining the necessary road safety knowledge and skills required to keep their students safe. Through the Safety Delivered program, supported by The UPS Foundation, teachers and school administrators spent the day participating in an interactive online training via Zoom. Principal, Mrs. Elvira R. Canilao, along with 25 teachers participated. The training included an overview of AIP Foundation, the current global and local road safety crisis, current legislation of child passenger law, the consequences of sub-standard helmets, an introduction to the Safety Delivered program and how educators are a key component to the safety of their students. Road safety and helmet use knowledge and skills were conducted through a series of interactive online activities including the use of Kahoot, an online teaching tool. Following the session, participants joined in an open forum discussion about helmet use in the Philippines, specifically why people, especially students in schools, decide not to wear a helmet. The conversation gave key cultural insights including the financial inability to purchase helmets, lack of awareness of consequences if a helmet isn’t worn, and the social implication that not wearing a helmet may be perceived as bravery. Although the use of helmets in two and three-wheeled motorcycles has proven to be an effective safety tool, reducing the risk of death by 42% and risk of severe head injury by 69%, helmet-wearing rates are still far too low and people are at-risk every single day. By participating in the Safety Delivered program, school administrators and educators will encourage students to wear helmets with the hopes of changing the helmet-wearing culture. This training came after AIP Foundation organized a helmet handover at the end of September, which was adapted due to the pandemic situation in the Philippines. In addition to collecting textbooks, parents also signed a letter committing to their child’s helmet use. To view more photos from the event, please click here. |
Thien Nhan & Friends News |
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Doctors fighting against the odds for children through virtual outpatient clinics in Vietnam HANOI, Vietnam—January 23, 2021
Thien Nhan & Friends, the child genital reconstructive surgery program, in collaboration with Viet Duc Hospital’s Department of Pediatric and Neonatal Surgery and Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children, has organized an online outpatient clinic in Hanoi and Da Nang on November 28, 2020, and January 23, 2021, respectively. The events were held in response to the protracted global health, humanitarian, and economic challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has prompted the program to adapt its operation to guarantee treatment opportunities for children with a urogenital malformation in Vietnam. In total, 120 children with penile and vaginal agenesis, cloacal exstrophy, bladder exstrophy, PAIS, and iatrogenic penile amputations or genital loss from trauma were under the evaluation performed directly by Vietnamese doctors from Viet Duc Hospital (Hanoi) and Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children (Da Nang), and indirectly via the internet and live webcam by Dr. Roberto De Castro, Dr. Emilio Merlini, Dr. Vincenzo Domenichelli and Dr. Gabriella Pelusi from Italy. “Due to COVID-19, the Thien Nhan & Friends Program has had to accommodate its plans, up and down, as the foreign doctors could not come to Vietnam for the annual medical mission this year. However, the patients cannot be left waiting for years to be treated. They need to be examined as soon as possible to be able to go to school and have a normal life without any shame or pain,” said Ms. Tran Mai Anh, co-founder of the program. “Continuing the program is our highest priority in addition to ongoing training for our Vietnamese colleagues,” added the founder of the program, Mr. Greig Craft. It is the first time that the Thien Nhan & Friends Program has organized an online (via internet and live webcam) outpatient clinic since its establishment in 2011. During the clinic, the Vietnamese doctors directly discuss treatment plans for the patients with the Italian surgeons. Two other live webcam outpatient clinics will be scheduled in Vietnam National Hospital for Children (Hanoi) and Children's Hospital No. 2 (Ho Chi Minh city) in the coming time. About Thien Nhan & Friends Inspired by “Miracle Baby” Thien Nhan, a young baby boy was left abandoned in the jungle in Vietnam where he suffered total loss of genitals and one of his legs from a brutal mauling by wild animals, AIP Foundation President and Founder, Greig Craft, Deputy CEO, Hoang Thi Na Huong, and Board Member Tran Mai Anh, established Thien Nhan & Friends. Founded in 2011, Thien Nhan & Friends organizes free genital reconstruction surgeries for boys and girls in Vietnam who have suffered from severe genital birth defects or loss of genitals from trauma. Since its inception, Thien Nhan & Friends have carried out more than 450 free surgeries. To learn more about Thien Nhan & Friends, please visit: www.facebook.com/ThienNhanAndFriends/ |
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