The Vietnamese Government, under its national theme of "Independence, Freedom, Happiness", has honoured Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) with the "Medal of Friendship" in appreciation "For many helpful contributions in partnership and implementation of beneficial projects which have greatly helped the Vietnamese blind community." The certificate was signed on 13 April 1999 by the President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Mr Tran Duc Luong. The Friendship Medal was received on BCA'S behalf by its Executive Officer, William Jolley, at a ceremony in Ha Noi on February 29. The Friendship Medal was presented by Mr Nguyen Dinh Lieu, Vice-Minister for Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Mr Jolley, when speaking at the presentation ceremony, said:
"Today I am greatly honoured and very proud. For BCA, which I helped to start as a young activist in 1975, this Medal of Friendship from the Vietnamese Government expresses thanks to the organisation and to the blind people of Australia who are concerned to help people who are less fortunate than ourselves. I was born blind, with three blind brothers and sisters, but no history of blindness in my family. Many things were very difficult for us. I was blessed with wonderful parents, who had faith in God; they loved each other and their seven children. I received help from many kind people as a young person, and a special gift for me was literacy through Braille. I received a very good education. I am very happy to give something back to the community, and for me coming to Viet Nam many times has been a special part of my life. I am also very proud to receive the Medal for Happiness of Blind People, and I sincerely thank VBA for this very nice honour to me. I would like to thank the Australian Government through AusAID, for its funding support of the Braille Literacy Teacher-Training programs; PACCOM (the People's Aid Co-ordinating Committee), which helps us to operate smoothly and effectively in Viet Nam; Mr Soat, Mrs Chin and other leaders of VBA, for their co-operation and advice; the provincial blind associations, where the teacher-training courses have been carried out; ACROD, through Helen McAuley, which is our official link with AusAID in Australia; and, of course, my wonderful interpreter and guide, and BCA'S Representative in Viet Nam, Miss Tran Dan Phuong, who has worked so well for us for more than five years."
Receiving the Medal of Friendship from the Vietnamese Government is a high honour for Blind Citizens Australia. Normally the Medal is awarded to individuals rather than organisations, and BCA is only the second organisation to receive the award. The other one, also an Australian organisation, was APHEDA (Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad) in 1998.
Mr Jolley said that Blind Citizens Australia has worked in partnership with the Viet Nam Blind Association (VBA) since 1993 to support teacher-training courses in six provinces: Thai Binh, Long An, Ha Tay, Quang Nam, Thanh Hoa and Thua Thien Hue. With funding totalling $280,000 from AusAID, 125 women, 75% of them blind or vision impaired, have been trained through nine-month residential courses as teachers of blind people in Braille literacy, vocational skills and daily living techniques. They have since opened 83 Braille Literacy classes in their local districts, mostly for three months, for 1351 blind people. This year the number should pass 2000, with a further 54 district classes planned for 800 blind people.
Mr Jolley, who is married with four children, has been Executive Officer of Blind Citizens Australia since January 1994, having worked previously as a network analyst with Telstra. He is a Vice-President in the East Asia Pacific Region of the World Blind Union. An Honours Graduate in Mathematical Statistics, he remains passionate about Braille whilst striving for increased information access for blind people through digital technology.
Blind Citizens Australia is the national association of blind people, with a membership of 2700 and a staff of ten. In addition to advocacy, peer support, information dissemination and advice to other organisations on blindness issues; BCA carries out projects ranging from Assessment of E-Commerce Accessibility and Disability Discrimination Act Standards Development, to Braille Literacy Teacher-Training in Viet Nam and Organisational Development in Fiji.
Mr Jolley said that he admires the dedication and tenacity of the Vietnamese people. He said:
"Last November there were record floods in Hue. The house for the Braille Literacy Class in the Phu Vang District of Thua Thien Hue was under two metres of water and the bedding, books and all other movable things were destroyed or swept away. The fourteen blind students were rescued by boat and taken to a nearby house where they stayed on the roof for two days and nights, tied together for safety by a rope, until the waters subsided. Such is their commitment to learning to read and write in Braille that the building has been repaired, some equipment has been replaced and the class has now reopened. I can hardly imagine how frightened they would have been, and how brave they must have been: the frightening noises, the strange smells, the overwhelming fear; they could not see, and there was absolutely nothing they could do."
On learning of the award of the Friendship Medal to BCA, Michael Simpson, President of Blind Citizens Australia, said:
"On occasions like this I am very proud to be the leader of Blind Citizens Australia. I thank the Vietnamese Government for its honour to BCA and I hope that we will continue to work in partnership with the Viet Nam Blind Association on Braille Literacy, Vocational Training and Organisational Development projects in the future. Whilst our first priority is the empowerment of blind people in Australia through self-help, positive community attitudes and high-quality disability services, I hope that we will never forget our blind brothers and sisters in neighbouring countries who need our help."
Mr Simpson went on to say:
"I am also proud to announce that Mr Jolley has been awarded the "Medal for Happiness of Blind People" by VBA `For much help to Viet Nam Blind Association in Braille Literacy."' Mr Jolley's passion for Braille, and his own personal experiences, have strengthened his commitment to ensure that many more blind people can achieve literacy and a basic education through Braille."
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Blind Citizens Australia
87 High Street
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Australia
Telephone: (03) 9521 3433
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TTY: (03) 9521 1200
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E-mail: bca@bca.org.au