Global Newsletter – November 2021

MUMBAI, India – November 27, 2021

In India, teachers were at the forefront of safeguarding their students’ lives by attending a helmet safety training as part of the Safety Delivered program, supported by The UPS Foundation. Eleven dedicated teachers from a new project school – Lilavata Lalji Dayal High School and College of Commerce – gathered for the virtual training.

At the school, there are no facilities for the students’ pick-up and drop-off. The main gate is located directly on the main road, the situation is highly dangerous and hectic. To prevent further risk and injury, AIP Foundation, with the support of the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA), has welcomed the School Principal, and the teachers to learn practical skills on helmet use and road safety. We were delighted to welcome the special participation of Mr. Nitin Dossa, WIAA’s Chairman and Vice President of FIA Region II.

Teachers became the students as they gained knowledge on the global road crash crisis, as well as their roles and responsibilities in preventing their students from being unsafe on the streets. The training provided an opportunity for them to increase their expertise and skills on proper helmet use, learning various head sizes measurement methods.

Safety Delivered is a program implemented by AIP Foundation to work with primary school students and motorcyclists in high-risk areas in India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam – by educating youth on safe driving skills as well as increasing helmet use among children.

BANGKOK, Thailand – November 19, 2021

AIP Foundation is delighted to announce the official launch of Phase II of the VIA Road Safety Education Programme (VIA Programme) in Thailand. The VIA Programme is supported by TotalEnergies Foundation and The Michelin Foundation and managed by the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP).

During Phase I implementation, VIA Programme has benefitted over 321 students, 15 teachers, and 11 classes across five different schools in Phra Pradaeng District with active engagement from Michelin and TotalEnergies representatives in Thailand.

Following this success, executives and officers from the Ministry of Education, from the Education Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and School Directors and media representatives joined together to mark the launch of Phase II, supporting the program’s mission to keep students safe on the road.

The welcome remarks at the official launch were delivered by Mr. Pascal Laroche, Country Chair TotalEnergies Thailand, and GM TotalEnergies EP Thailand. Followed by a report from Ms. Pornwadee Piyakun, Director of Government Relations, Michelin Siam Company Limited. A special keynote speech was delivered by Ms. Orpin Petchtut, Secretary to the Minister of Education on the ‘policies of the Ministry of Education to promote education road safety for students’. All stakeholders attending committed their support for Phase II of the VIA Programme implementation safeguarding our next generation.

AIP Foundation CEO, Mrs. Mirjam Sidk shared, “from 2013 to 2017 more than 17,000 children and teenagers were killed in road traffic crashes throughout Thailand. These are not merely numbers or statistics but real lives, real families, and members of the community that we tragically lost. These deaths are preventable. Road safety education is one of the key components to end this tragedy.”

To view photos from the official launch, please click here.

To read more about Phase I of the VIA programme, please click here.

THAI NGUYEN City, Vietnam – November 3, 2021

As part of one of our signature programs, Safety Delivered, supported by The UPS Foundation, the AIP Foundation team hosted an orientation workshop and teacher training in Thai Nguyen City for our Government partners. Gearing up for the helmet handover ceremony to be held at the end of the month, dedicated representatives from the Traffic Safety Committee of Thai Nguyen Province, Department of Education and Training of Thai Nguyen Province, and school teachers gathered for the event.

The workshop began with an opening speech by Mr. Tran Van Long, Deputy Director of the Traffic Safety Committee of Thai Nguyen province. Then AIP Foundation presented the project work plan and roles and responsibilities of the School Management Boards and teachers in implementing the work plan. Local government representatives, school principals, and teachers showed their strong commitment to successful achievement of the program outcomes.

Current updates on the laws and regulations of helmet wearing and technical information about standard helmets and proper helmet use were highlighted. These updates are key for local government representatives to be able to contribute to the implementation of the program. All stakeholders discussed the upcoming kick-off event that will be hosted to hand over the helmets to the students at school. 20 teachers from five program schools also participated in the teacher training, to be better equipped with knowledge and skills on helmet safety, as well as to pass them on to their primary school students.

Safety Delivered is a program implemented by AIP Foundation to work with primary school students and motorcyclists in high-risk areas in India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam by educating youth on safe driving skills as well as increasing helmet use among children. During the next two years, the Safety Delivered program will distribute 4,900 helmets to students and teachers from ten program schools in Ho Chi Minh and Thai Nguyen province Vietnam.

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

In Vietnam, many primary schools are located on high-density traffic roads, often overflowing with heavy traffic. Children are at risk on their way to and from school, walking around unsafe pedestrian zones, or traveling without proper helmet protection. Road dangers are everywhere. Prudential Vietnam is launching the second year of the SAFE STEPS KIDS – Road Safety (SSK-RS) program, organized by AIP Foundation, mitigating the risks students experience every single day by providing students safe equipment and proper road traffic education.

To mark the launch of the second year of the program, AIP Foundation – in collaboration with the provincial Traffic Safety Committees and Department of Education and Training – hosted an orientation workshop and teacher training in both provinces. Representatives from Prudential Vietnam were warmly welcomed to both orientation workshops and presented an introduction to Prudential Vietnam and the work of the Prudence Foundation.

In Hoa Binh province, following the opening speech by Mr. Bùi Đức Hậu, Director of the Department of Transportation of Hoa Binh province, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of Traffic Safety of Hoa Binh province, AIP Foundation presented the project overview and detailed work plan, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the School Management Boards and teachers in implementing the project activities. The Hoa Binh Traffic Safety Committee provided updates on helmet regulations while traveling, and a demo lesson was held on the importance of helmet and pedestrian safety from a training expert.

In Quang Ngai province, the orientation workshop began with a speech by Mr. Nguyễn Văn Nam, Deputy Director of Quang Ngai Provincial Police and Deputy Chief of Quang Ngai provincial TSC. Nearly 60 teachers from two project schools participated in the training, to be better equipped with knowledge and skills on helmet safety, as well as to pass them on to their primary school students.

The SSK-RS program is part of the SAFE STEPS KIDS program, developed by the Prudence Foundation, in partnership with Cartoon Network and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). The program aims to equip millions of children across Asia with actionable information designed to save lives in the event of emergencies or disaster situations. To date, the program has been deployed in Asia, in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. This is the second year that SAFE STEPS KIDS– Road Safety has been implemented in Vietnam.

To see more photos from the Hoa Binh event, please click here.

To see more photos from the Quang Ngai event, please click here.

To learn more about the SAFE STEPS KIDS- Road Safety program, please click here.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – November 11, 2021

As Covid-19 has continued to change the world we know, at AIP Foundation, we are tackling that challenge with creativity. Getting creative means finding innovative solutions through paths not yet taken. We are very proud to share that we have hosted the first official AIP Foundation webinar, co-hosted by AA Vietnam, and iRAP, on Star Ratings For Schools (SR4S) with hands-on examples of Vietnam. The webinar was co-organized with the support of the FIA and the FIA Foundation.

Greig Craft, AIP Foundation/AA Vietnam Founder and President and FIA Region II Asia-Pacific President, delivered the opening remarks welcoming all participants to the webinar and sharing our road to change in Pleiku City, Vietnam. Rita Cuypers, Director of Partnerships at the FIA Foundation highlighted the importance of improving school road infrastructure to protect children on their way to and from school.

Following the introduction on SR4S and the Assessment Toolkit by Rob McInerney, iRAP CEO, and Rafaela Machado, iRAP SR4S Global Coordinator, Minh Vo, SR4S Master Trainer, shared her expertise on the implementation of the method. Hong Bui, AIP Foundation Program Manager, shared experiences and insights of the implementation process into a full program.

During the webinar, participants gained insight into our experience with infrastructure assessment, stakeholder engagement, challenges, and lessons learned for effective implementation and advocacy for policy change.

There was a wide audience in attendance including; FIA clubs, Government entities, NGOs, officials, and specialists in road safety, education, health, civil engineering, and research. There were more than 100 registered participants coming from all regions around the world. This webinar is the first in a series of three webinars that will be organized by AIP Foundation within the scope of the Safe School Zones Guide Project.

Quy Linh Nguyen, AIP Foundation National Program Director for Vietnam and moderator of the webinar shared, “SR4S is a proven effective tool in terms of school zone safety. With success stories of the program in Pleiku, Vietnam, the SR4S with hands-on examples of Vietnam webinar is a great case study to inspire other cities across Vietnam as well as other countries in Asia and beyond.”

To watch the recording of the webinar, please click here.

To see more photos of the webinar, please click here.

TUYEN QUANG, Vietnam – November 16, 2021

No student should be forced to risk their life on their way to and from school. In Tuyen Quang province, many students are at high-risk, traveling to school on busy roads with heavy traffic. These risks are preventable. AIP Foundation, with support from Johnson & Johnson, is expanding the signature Helmets for Kids program. The expansion was launched with an orientation workshop and teacher training co-hosted by our Government partners in the province.

The opening speech was delivered by Mr Nguyễn Ngọc Hiến, representative of Tuyen Quang Department of Education and Training. His speech highlighted the strong commitment of the local government to safeguard vulnerable children in the province. Following his speech, AIP Foundation presented on the project orientation, helmet standards, and proper helmet wearing, as well as an in-depth introduction into the project. The aim of the project is to increase the rate of children properly wearing quality helmets, which helps to reduce the severity of head injuries. This provides a life-saving difference for vulnerable students on busy roads.

65 dedicated teachers from 13 project schools in the region gathered for the orientation workshop and training. The workshop was targeting teachers of the schools that newly joined the project for this school year 2021-2022, in addition to being a refresher training for the schools that joined the project during the previous school year. The purpose of the training was also to introduce innovative teaching methods related to road safety, especially on helmet safety. The teachers were introduced to educational materials on helmet safety that will be distributed in the project schools.

Since 2012, AIP Foundation and Johnson & Johnson have partnered together to promote child helmet use and deliver student road safety education at schools in target provinces throughout Vietnam through the Helmets for Kids program. From 2020-2021, AIP Foundation will continue to implement the Helmets for Kids program to work with vulnerable students from the project schools and communities.

To read more about the Helmets for Kids program and our partnership with Johnson & Johnson, please click here.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – November 17, 2021

As part of one of our signature programs, Safety Delivered, supported by The UPS Foundation, the AIP Foundation team hosted an orientation workshop and teacher training in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) for our Government partners. Gearing up for the helmet handover ceremony to be held at the beginning of December, 129 dedicated representatives from the Traffic Safety Committee of HCMC, the Department of Education and Training of HCMC, and school teachers from District 8, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Cu Chi, and Binh Chanh gathered for the event.

The orientation workshop began with an opening speech by Mr. Nguyen Vu Hanh Phuc, Chief Secretary of the Traffic Safety Committee of HCMC. Then AIP Foundation presented the project work plan, as well as roles and responsibilities of the School Management Boards and teachers in implementing the work plan.

Current updates on the laws and regulations of helmet wearing and technical information about standard helmets and proper helmet use were highlighted. Teachers from five program schools also participated in the teacher training, to be better equipped with knowledge and skills on helmet safety, as well as to pass them on to their primary school students.

Safety Delivered is a program implemented by AIP Foundation to work with primary school students and motorcyclists in high-risk areas in India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam by educating youth on safe driving skills as well as increasing helmet use among children. During the next two years, the Safety Delivered program will distribute 4,900 helmets to students and teachers from ten program schools in Ho Chi Minh and Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam.

HANOI, Vietnam – November 21, 2021

On the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, the world joined together in commemoration of our lost loved ones across the world. Families all around the world continue to suffer from the silent pandemic of road traffic crashes. We are losing our next generation at an alarming rate, road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years globally.

In Vietnam, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimated that more than 6,200 children and youth aged 5-29 were killed in road crashes in 2019. This represents a public health crisis that disproportionately affects young people most. Road upgrades, speed management, as well as enforcement of behavioral risk factors are needed to effectively address this crisis.

In support of the World Day of Remembrance, and advocating for urgent action, the VOV national radio channel and radio channel FM91 aired interviews with the AIP Foundation team leading our newest big data and artificial intelligence program, AI&Me: Empowering youth for safer roads, (Tuổi trẻ và những cung đường biết nói). On such an important global day, we are truly humbled by the national news coverage of our program.

During the 30-minute radio show, AIP Foundation National Program Director, Quy Linh Nguyen shared, “based on the fact that traffic accidents take the lives of young people, AIP Foundation is concerned: can this problem be solved if we separate young people from the decision making process? Creating a platform for youth to raise their voice is extremely important. We must pay attention, listen, and consider solving the concerns of young people as this is necessary for us to ensure that they are safe on roads.”

AIP Foundation’s three-year AI&Me: Empowering youth for safer roads program is supported by Fondation Botnar – a foundation which champions the use of AI and digital technologies to improve the wellbeing of young people in urban environments – as well as the FIA Foundation, Anditi, and iRAP. Together we are developing a ‘youth engagement app’, to offer young people an efficient way to identify and report high-risk road conditions, providing them with a platform for their voices to be heard. Through the app, government officials will receive data as actionable recommendations to make effective and evidence-based road safety interventions.

To listen and read the interview (in Vietnamese), please click here.

To read more about the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, please click here.

GIA LAI, Vietnam – November 26, 2021

In continuation of the celebration of our Slow Zones, Safe Zones program, and the recent Partnership Framework signing ceremony with the Ministry of Transport for the Safe School Zones Guide, we are delighted to share news of the completion of the school zone modifications at Ia Nhin Primary School in Gia Lai province. Supported by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Region II Asia-Pacific, the modifications will safeguard students’ lives as they arrive and leave school.

Ia Nhin primary school is located on a main provincial highway connecting Pleiku City and Chu Pah district in Gia Lai province. The highway is plagued by heavy traffic – two-wheelers mixing with huge buses and container transportation trucks which highly impacts commuting of vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. Road dangers are everywhere, and students are at risk. The speed limit in the area is 50km/h and speeding above this limit is common.

Among a total 650 students aged 6 to 12 years old, our observations at the school showed that 60% of children ride to school on bicycles, 30% are dropped off by their parents via motorcycle, and the remaining 10% walk to school. Before our intervention, at school drop-off and pick-up times, the area around the main gate was often chaotic, with significant traffic congestion and disorder due to inadequate infrastructure around the school.

To prevent further risk and safeguard students on their way to and from school, AIP Foundation conducted a school zone assessment in August 2020. We applied iRAP’s Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) techniques at the main gate of the school. The assessment showed that the school only reached two stars on the SR4S rating system.

In collaboration with our key Government partner, the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) in Gia Lai, we conducted road infrastructure upgrades, including; crosswalks, rumble strips, traffic lights, road markings, speed reduction, school zone signs, and new sidewalks. Our most important intervention that helped students become safer in the school is the reduced speed from legally 50 km/h to 30 km/h during peak pick-up and drop-off times.

The safety modifications were validated by the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) App, which determined that Ia Nhin school successfully increased its safety rating from 2 to 5 (the safest rating) stars, enabling our next generation to safely access education.

To view before and after photos, please click here.

THAI NGUYEN – November 28, 2021

As part of the growing legacy of Safety Delivered, supported by The UPS Foundation, Phase III of the program is set to take place in Thai Nguyen City and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. During Phase III of the Safety Delivered program (2021 – 2022), 50% of students who participate in the program are from underrepresented communities. These children often lack access to safe and sustainable commutes. The helmets make a life-saving difference for vulnerable children on their way to and from school.

In cooperation with the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee and the Department of Education and Training, AIP Foundation hosted a helmet handover ceremony for students. The helmet handover promoted community awareness of the life-saving importance of increasing child helmet use. The event commenced with a welcome and introduction by Mr. Tran Van Long, Vice Executive Chairman from Traffic Safety Committee of Thai Nguyen province and Deputy Director from Department of Transportation of Thai Nguyen province. The students, their parents, and school administrators were in attendance.

Following the introduction, the students received their helmets and learned about helmet safety rules from AIP Foundation and UPS volunteers. We were delighted to welcome dedicated volunteers from UPS Vietnam to demonstrate to the students how to wear a helmet correctly. The students participated in the “Three steps, be safe” dance.

Trieu Thi Huyen Trang, an 11-year-old student at the target school shared, “I feel very excited about my new helmet, and I know that I will be safer on the road. It was so much fun to learn about the three steps of wearing a helmet properly from the UPS volunteers, they were so friendly.”

“Road safety is a key element of UPS’s commitment to helping build sustainable communities around the world. These commitments are part of the UPS DNA, which is why we’ve supported the Safety Delivered program since 2011,” said Russell Reed, Managing Director UPS Vietnam.

“Everyone deserves the right to road safety education and equal access to a safe journey to and from school or work, and we’re proud to support the inspirational efforts made by the AIP Foundation to ensure these opportunities are reaching as many people as possible.”

Mr. Tran Van Long, Vice Executive Chairman from Traffic Safety Committee of Thai Nguyen province and Deputy Director from Department of Transportation of Thai Nguyen province, “It is of paramount importance that the helmet fits the wearer properly and be worn correctly. Today, students learned how to make sure their helmets fit properly, ensuring maximum protection on the road.”

To read the press release, please click here.

To view more photos, please click here.

TUYEN QUANG City, Vietnam – December 3, 2021

As part of the growing legacy of the Helmets for Kids Program, AIP Foundation in collaboration with the Traffic Safety Committee and Department of Education and Training of Tuyen Quang province, with support from Johnson & Johnson, hosted a project kick-off ceremony in Tuyen Quang City, Vietnam. The helmets make a life-saving difference for vulnerable school children on their way to and from school. This province is home to a significant number of ethnic minorities.

Ethnic minorities and rural populations face a range of challenges in accessing mainstream services and resources. The Helmets for Kids program aims to reduce brain injuries related to road crashes in school zones and the surrounding communities through increased rate of quality helmet use among children.

This year, 5,828 helmets were distributed in Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang provinces to students, teachers, and staff at 8 schools. Teachers received interactive training on road safety. Furthermore, project schools will receive booklets on helmet safety as educational materials. The project kick-off ceremony at Dang Chau Primary School promoted community awareness of the life-saving importance of increasing child helmet use. It was the biggest event of the Helmets for Kids program this year.

“Every child deserves equal access to the tools and resources in their community especially education and knowledge. By focusing on equity and diversity, we’re working towards this vision together. The Helmets for Kids program helps to raise the quality of life standard for communities, especially for kids in rural areas. Something as simple as wearing a helmet can be the difference in that child coming back home to their family happy and healthy after a school day” shared Matthias Skillecorn, Managing Director of Johnson & Johnson Vietnam.

The event commenced with a welcome and introduction by Mr. Do Van Lai, Chief of Office, the Traffic Safety Committee Tuyen Quang province and Johnson & Johnson, respectively. In addition to these key partners, the students and their parents and school administrators were in attendance. All the students participated in a dance flash mob performance. The students learned about helmet safety rules which will have a lifesaving impact. The students then received their helmets.

The Helmets for Kids program has been supported by Johnson & Johnson. From 2012 to 2020, the Johnson & Johnson-funded Helmets for Kids program has provided 68,420 helmets to 93 schools across 8 Vietnamese provinces, in addition to providing tools and resources to ensure children in the community are commuting to school safely. 

To view more photos, please click here.

To read the press release, please click here.