In 2018, Ms. Mai Thi Dung, a resident of Nai Hien Dong Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang, founded the Center of Research and Community Inclusive Support (CORMIS) under the Da Nang Union of Science and Technology Associations. Till date, she has been working hard with partners to empower women with disabilities by raising their self-confidence, guaranteeing their participation, and increasing their power and authority to take decisions in all areas affecting their lives. Focus is on offering sustainable livelihoods assistance and providing essential skills that help women with disabilities lead a productive and happy life. As a result, they have provided with employment opportunities, thereby helping them confidently integrate into the community, and rise up in their life.

Recycling and community projects developed by Ms. Mai Thi Dung (second, left) have helped many disabled women have a stable job in order to confidently integrate into the community. Photo: P.N

All Under One Roof

Ms. Dang Thi No, a resident of Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District) is one of the vulnerable women who are receiving practical support from CORMIS. The center has helped her secure a stable job with making handbags from fabric waste collected from local tailors.

“I have done this job for many years, and I have earned a steady income from this job. Every day, I arrive at CORMIS early to work and chat with others who do the same job as me. CORMIS is truly an inclusive housing for those who are not as fortunate as me,” said Ms. No.

The mission of CORMIS is to empower women with disabilities to help them confidently integrate into the community.

“Previously, I had participated in community projects developed by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) for many years . However, my participation in these projects helped me realize that venerable people is in need of more effective, practical and long-term support instead of temporary material support. Therefore, CORMIS has been set up in an effort to support venerable people in a sustainable way as they need a stable job that can generate income and bring joy to them to help them confidently integrate into the community," said Ms. Dung.

After establishing the Center, Ms. Dung implemented a recycling project for a happy life. The project aimed to make useful products from such recyclable materials as fabric, net, and rice sacks to be able to sell in the market in an attempt to offer sustainable livelihoods assistance for women with disabilities.

In its efforts to ensure the effective implementation of this project, CORMIS has made its performances and facilities accessible to women with disabilities in the city and neighboring localities to help them use recycled materials to make such products as handbags, hair ties, pillowcases, handkerchiefs, and coasters. Till date, the project has created employment opportunities for more than 20 women with disabilities.

In order to boost recycling efforts and secure sufficient recyclable materials for women with disabilities, Ms. Dung has done her utmost to collect old bed sheets, pillowcases, curtains and other recyclables from resorts and hotels, along with fabric waste from big tailoring shop.

“Recycling is key to replacing the material’s old linear life cycle with a circular one, prolonging its lifetime, contributing to protecting the environment. Therefore,  I receive enthusiastic support from all places where I collect recyclable materials. Currently, many disabled women show keen interest in participating in CORMIS 's recycling project. In order to secure the source of recyclable materials for them, I will try to collect recyclables from as many places as possible in the coming time. We hope that businesses and souvenir shops across the city are willing to support disabled women through their supplies of recyclable materials," said Dung.

Giving disabled women the confidence to take control of their own lives

In addition to offering sustainable livelihoods assistance to women with disabilities, CORMIS focuses on providing mental health care, and creating the most conditions for people with disabilities to interact with others through community activities. Most recently, the center has successfully organized a recycled fashion show in Quang Nam Province’s Hoi An City to celebrate Earth Hour Day. Especially, models at this special show were women with disabilities.

Ms. Dang Thi Be, a resident of Nai Hien Dong ward, Son Tra District who is among models at this show confided: “I and other models had an interesting experience when participating in the fashion show. Wearing Ao Dai (traditional dress) that was made by myself and walking on catwalk made me feel more confident. Through this fashion show,  I want to inspire all the people to recycle, contributing to raising public awareness of environmental protection ".

After more than 4 years in operation, CORMIS has organized many workshops and life skill classes for disabled women with the guidance from psychologists, and health trainers, along with yoga and meditation teachers.

Ms. Pham Thi Hong Nga from Quang Ngai Province said that not all people with disabilities have an opportunity to participate in CORMIS’s activities. Her participation in these activities helped her fell more relaxed and not being self-deprecation, shame, and self-guilt associated with her disability.

In the future, CORMIS strives to offer sustainable livelihoods assistance for women with disabilities and organize more meaningful activities to help integrate  people with disabilities and those who need help with the community. The Center hopes to support people with disabilities with a comprehensive vision, thereby assisting them live well, and to be useful and help contribute to society.

Reporting by THANH DANH – Translating by H.L