Nguyen Thi Lan Anh

Director of the Action to the Community Development Institute (ACDC)

Vice president Vietnamese Federation on Disabilities

“During my trips studying abroad, including to Australia, I saw how people with disabilities are treated as equals, and that became my dream.”

Nguyen Thi Lan Anh’s story is that of a person with incredible will and determination to overcome the challenge of fate, shine through in her life and bring changes to the world she lives in. Born with brittle bone disease, requiring the use of a wheelchair, with resilience and willpower, she not only obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but also won a scholarship from the Australian government to study public policy abroad.

In 2011, Lan Anh founded the Action to the Community Development Center (ACDC), which later became Action to the Community Development Institute.

She is a pioneer in creating a barrier-free society for people with disabilities.

Lan Anh said that it is thanks to her knowledge gained and experience during her time in Australia, as well as through projects with Australian and other foreign partners that motivated her to push for a brand new approach to disability support in Vietnam. “I saw how in Australia they create opportunities for people with disabilities to go to school and to work like everybody else in the community, and make social contributions like anyone else” - said Lan Anh.

Overcoming tremendous doubt at the beginning, Lan Anh and ACDC have been playing a significant role in changing society’s perception of people with disabilities. Instead of seeing people with disabilities with pity and charity, the new approach is based on their rights and capabilities, making society realise that people with disabilities deserve respect, inclusion and chances to contribute.

The Australian government has supported ACDC in projects that connect and improve the capacity of organisations for people with disabilities in Vietnam. “What I’m most proud of is being able to link together a network of organisations for people with disabilities across the country, they receive training to enhance capacity, and support to raise their voices which is greatly recognised in the community. That was not easy to accomplish several years ago” - said Lan Anh.

Another project realised by ACDC with the Australian government’s support focuses on inclusive education for children with disabilities in Cao Bang and Bac Kan, helping the local communities, families and teachers understand how to support children with disabilities to go to school, so that these families can have a vision of their children’s future.

Lan Anh also contributes to raising awareness of people with disabilities when she lends a hand to the Australian embassy, training partner organisations receiving the Australian government’s funding for their better understanding of inclusion for people with disabilities before their projects are deployed in Vietnam.

The alumni network of people who studied in Australia is a valuable resource. Through this network, Lan Anh has been able to reach experts in the fields related to her work, such as health care, education, socio-cultural development for projects, seminars and other events. The alumni in important positions or in government agencies, , provide great support to the work of Lan Anh and ACDC when they understand the issues faced by people with disabilities.

“On the Vietnam - Australia relations, I immediately think of cooperation and development,” said Lan Anh. “Thanks to the courses, communication and support from both governments, people with disabilities can cooperate effectively and see greater meaning for ourselves. This leads to the development of a disability community network of people with disabilities in Vietnam and they are able to contribute to the common development of the country.”