Nearly 2 million Vietnamese people are blind or visually impaired, less than 1% have braille books

Currently, it is estimated that Vietnam has nearly 2 million blind and visually impaired people, of which about 16,000 - 23,000 are children. However, less than 1% of books in Vietnam are converted into accessible formats, such as Braille, audiobooks or tactile materials.

This means that tens of thousands of blind and visually impaired children still do not have the opportunity to get their hands on age-appropriate stories - books that can nurture their imagination, the joy of reading, and the desire to learn. And this is a similar situation that is happening in many countries around the world , causing increasingly deep disadvantages for children with visual disabilities.

The above information was shared by Ms. Nguyen Dieu Nuong, Country Director of Room to Read, at the Technical Guidance Workshop and Experience Sharing on Braille Book Production, which took place in Ho Chi Minh City from November 10 to 14.

Braille books, 3D materials for disabled students on display at the workshop

PHOTO: THUY HANG

The workshop was organized by Room to Read Vietnam in collaboration with the Clovernook Center (USA), with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Education and Training, students from domestic organizations: Center for Research on Equitable and Inclusive Education ; Association for Education for All Vietnam; General Science Library; Nguyen Dinh Chieu School; Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special School; Perkins School for the Blind; Tan Binh Center for Supporting the Development of Inclusive Education; Center for Counseling and Inclusion Support.

Also in attendance were participants from the National Library of the Philippines, along with Room to Read colleagues from the Asia, Africa, global and Vietnam regional levels.

Each page of Braille books and 3D learning materials opens up a world of knowledge for thousands of visually impaired children.

Throughout the workshop, Mr. Samuel Chapin Foulkes, Director of the Clovernook Center, and a team of experts guided delegates and students on how to operate Braille printing equipment and 3D printers; the process of editing, converting and quality checking Braille documents; designing and printing tactile 3D models to help visually impaired children feel and understand the story content more deeply.

Today (November 14), the workshop also featured an exhibition of books and comics printed in Braille with tactile illustrations, and tactile 3D models to help visually impaired children easily perceive and imagine the world in the stories.

Some books, Braille comics, tactile materials, 3D models for visually impaired children were displayed at the workshop.

The organizers hope that with the project of expanding access to quality children's storybooks (English name is Expanding Access to Quality Children's Storybooks), Room to Read, together with the support of Lavelle Fund for the Blind and international partners such as Clovernook, will gradually develop the capacity to produce Braille books, expand access to children's storybooks for children with visual disabilities in Vietnam and the Philippines, and create a foundation to expand to other countries in the world where Room to Read has program activities.

The main activities in 2026 and the following years of the project include converting, piloting and printing a number of picture book titles into Braille, gradually transferring technology and equipment to suitable partners in Vietnam.

Mr. Samuel Chapin Foulkes, Director of the Clovernook Center, leads people at the workshop

Students practice making Braille books and 3D documents for visually impaired children.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

According to Ms. Dieu Nuong, this is not only a program to guide and transfer techniques, but also an opportunity for the publishing industry to move towards a comprehensive publishing ecosystem, where every child can enjoy the joy and benefits of reading and become independent readers.

"We believe that each Braille book page, each 3D resource and learning material created from this program will not only be a learning product, but also a door opening the world of knowledge and the joy of reading for thousands of visually impaired children in Vietnam and the Philippines," said Ms. Dieu Nuong.

Room to Read is an international non- governmental organization operating in the field of education since 2000 in 50 countries with the belief that "the world changes when children go to school". In Vietnam, Room to Read started operating in 2001 with two main programs: Language development; gender equality, and has been implementing projects in 30 provinces and cities across the country.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/gan-2-trieu-nguoi-viet-khiem-thi-suy-giam-thi-luc-chua-den-1-sach-chu-noi-185251114131539441.htm