The 1 st barista training for the visually impaired persons in Vietnam

Giving the opening speech, Mrs. Dinh Viet Anh, VBA vice president said: “Besides continuing to support VBA the project on Braille textbooks and an online library, in 2023, Siloam Foundation will support the Training and Rehabilitation Center for the blind (TRC) to open the 1 st barista training. The training course will be a new milestone in the cooperation between VBA and Siloam Foundation, contributing to fostering the sentiment of the visually impaired persons of the two countries”. Although it is a new training, Mrs. Dinh Viet Anh hopes that, with the increased demand for enjoying food and drink in the society, the suitability to the health and the capacity of the visually impaired people for this job and successful experiences in some countries, it will open a new job opportunity for the visually impaired people in Vietnam.

 

 

Mr. Choi Dong-Ik, Executive Director of Siloam Foundation shared: “Siloam Center has implemented projects to open coffee shops served by the visually impaired people in South Korea, Mongolia and Indonesia. This is the first barista training project for the visually impaired people in Vietnam. We commit to coordinate and support VBA and TRC for a successful project and open a new career opportunity for the visually impaired people in Vietnam. Participating in the ceremony, Ms. Dinh Thi Thuy, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Vietnam National Committee for People with Disabilities shared: “According to the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), Vietnam has nearly 15% of its population is people with disabilities. The government of Vietnam has implemented a lot of policies to support people with disabilities, in which vocational training and job creation are given the priority, however, people with disabilities still face many difficulties. We hope that the government and organizations from South Korea in general as well as Siloam Foundation for the Blind in particular will support, share your experiences to recover consequences of the war; programs for rehabilitation, education and vocational training for disabled

people. Vietnam National Committee for People with Disabilities will always accompany VBA and TRC in programs of education, vocational training and job creation in order that the blind can promote their abilities, be more active in their

life and integrate into the community. Mr. Pham Xuan Truong, member of VBA Standing Committee, TRC Director said: Although there are still many difficulties, I believe that with support of VBA, Siloam Foundation and the efforts of the teacher and trainees, the barista training as well as the coffee shop model would be successfully realized in Vietnam. As a trainee, Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Trang from Hung Yen province expressed: I have been supported by VBA since I was a student and I am growing up after participating in training courses conducted by VBA/TRC. I hope after the training, I will have a new chance with a new job with better income. The barista training consists of 6 female trainees. It will take place in 4 months with 11 subjects such as: Overview about the bar, equipment and materials for barista; techniques for making tea, coffee, cocoa, fruit juices, smoothies, mocktails, cocktails, etc. At the ceremony, participants witnessed the inauguration of the training room with

machines and equipment sponsored by Siloam Foundation for the Blind. From 2018 to now, Siloam Center for the Blind has supported VBA different projects including Braille embosser, Braille textbooks printing, massage training, online library and music exchange. Activities of the projects have helped visually impaired students to reduce their difficulties in learning, massage technicians have more skills to apply in their work; simultaneously, the visually impaired people have more opportunities to exchange, share and integrate internationally.