Disability and chronic illnesses

What is the situation like for children with illnesses?

Supporting children with disabilities or chronic illnesses is part of Children of the Mekong’s priority of action. The poverty in the slums and in remote rural areas makes it much more likely that such children will not be properly cared for. They are often left to fend for themselves or even completely rejected by their own families.

What are the local attitudes like?

In Buddhist countries disability is often considered to be caused by karma: it is the price to be paid for sins committed in a previous life. Therefore, it has to be accepted without a fight, and no efforts are to be made to try and heal from it.

Why is it important to support children with disabilities?

Today in Cambodia fewer than 10% of disabled children go to school or to a special institution that can cater to their needs. In all of the countries of Southeast Asia, there is still a huge amount to be done to convince families of the importance of sending disabled children to school and to ensure that appropriate facilities are available.

• In Cambodia, more than 65,000 people have lost a limb to a landmine blast.
• In Laos, there are still about 80 million unexploded bombs.
• In Vietnam, 15% of the population is disabled. Many are war victims (Agent Orange is estimated to have blighted the lives of up to five million people).
• In Myanmar, AIDS kills 8,000 people every year.

What is Children of the Mekong’s response?

Where are people most affected by illnesses?

AIDS is widespread in Asia. It is closely linked with drug addiction, afflicting one addict in four. In Kachin State in Myanmar, some children as young as 12 take drugs. Laos is the world’s third-biggest producer of opium (forming the Golden Triangle together with Thailand and Myanmar). This has huge implications for the local people.

What is the biggest challenge?

The challenge today is to enable children and young people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, often victims of discrimination and poorly understood, to get an education and to find work which will enable them to support themselves and their families.

Who will benefit from sponsorships and how will these help children with illnesses?

Many benefits from a collective sponsorship put in place by Children of the Mekong. Wherever possible children are given the opportunity to get an education, often specifically tailored to their needs and delivered by specialist teachers.