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For the first time ever, the Asia Pacific Society of Speech, Language, and Hearing (APSSLH) Bi-annual Conference will be in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from December 14 to 16th, 2023. MCNV is honored to be one of the event sponsors.

The event will be held by APSSLH  in partnership with HCMC University/MCNV and Hue University/KOICA.

The theme of the 2023 APSSLH Conference is “Connect: Build a Stronger Network Among Us”.

The APSSLH is a professional organization that is dedicated to supporting researchers, practitioners, and students in Communication Sciences and Disorders and other related fields in the Asia Pacific region.

As the first APSSLH conference to be held in the Southeast Asia region as well as in Vietnam, the Conference aims to build a more robust network to empower Speech and Language Therapists to fulfill their job successfully and support individuals who need speech, language, and hearing services in the Asia Pacific region.

More information: https://apsslhconference.net/

In the context of the “Boosting income and jobs for poor ethnic women in Dong Xuan district” (BIJPO) project, MCNV, in collaboration with partners in Dong Xuan District of Phu Yen Province, successfully orchestrated a productive meeting on September 27th, 2023, between Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho and representatives from local authorities and communities in the communes of Da Loc and Xuan Lanh.

Investigating Suoi Mo in Da Loc commune

Zannier Hotels, with its headquarters in France, boasts a global presence, including operations in Vietnam. Notably, Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho, located in Song Cau District of Phu Yen, was recently honored as the recipient of two prestigious awards: “Best Luxury Hotel in Vietnam 2023” and “Best Boutique Hotel in Vietnam 2023” at the World Business Outlook.

Aligned with MCNV’s mission and core values of nurturing and supporting local initiatives, fostering income generation, and promoting indigenous cultures, high-level representatives from Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho embarked on an exploration of the Suoi Mo and Vuc Hom areas. During their visit, they also worked with a Bahna’s brocade weaving group.

Working with brocade weaving group in Xuan Lanh commune

The delegation was profoundly impressed by the potential for the development of forest-based and community-managed tourism, forging connections with other tourist destinations, promoting the consumption of brocade products, and offering services encompassing traditional weaving demonstrations and captivating performances featuring traditional dancing accompanied by drums and gongs. In the medium term, Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho committed to placing orders for brocade products, earmarked for the upcoming Christmas season.

Wrap-up meeting among relevant parties

MCNV will continue to play a pivotal role in this endeavor by consolidating insights and crafting a preliminary memorandum of understanding that will bind Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho, local authorities, and the communities together in this journey of mutual and sustainable development.

BIJPO project is co-funded by GSRD, Dong Xuan district and MCNV from April 2022 to April 2025.

Story and photos by Ms.Huyen Hoang, MCNV Board of Director, captured from a field mission in Sepone district, Lao PDR in early September 2023.

Ms. Chung is a 32-year-old woman living in Stuak Nai village, Sepone district, Laos PDR. She has 5 children (4 girls and one boy) and is at her 5th month pregnancy with her 6th baby.

I came to visit her on 4th September 2023 while she was being checked up by one village health worker.

After briefing Ms.Chung about the visit, the village health worker proceeded with weighing the mother and recording the information.

She later asked Ms.Chung to lay down for the fetal position check and fundal (belly) height measurement using her hands. A small doppler was used to detect the baby’s heart rate.

Ms. Chung later shared with me that she was very happy to hear her child’s heartbeat.

After the check-up, the village health worker showed Ms.Chung a set of picture cards to discuss on maternal health. The cards are made double sides, one side featuring picture that the mother can see and know what it is. The other side was a key message of a topic that the village health worker wants to deliver.

The set of cards that were being used to communicate with Ms. Chung is for women at 4-6 months pregnancy. They contained the information on what the women should do and should avoid, also including what support the husband and other family members can provide to her.

Looking at a card with a picture of a husband carrying heavy stuff for the wife when she is pregnant, Ms. Chung laughed while shaking her head to signal the opposite. What she meant was: women in the area often do this kind of work (carrying heavy things) and there is no different even if they are pregnant.

The picture cards made the discussion become more cheerful and interactive.

In the conversation, I asked Ms. Chung about what she did with her previous pregnancies. She said that for each pregnancy, she would go for one time check-up at the health centre (about 14 km away) when she was about 6–7-month pregnant. In her case, her husband accompanied her to the health centre. All of her 5 children were delivered at home and with the support from her husband, who held her from the back. All other things, including cutting of the umbilical cord was done by the woman herself. With this 6th pregnancy, the village health worker came to her house to do the check-up. This village-based service is available thanks to the project ‘Together in action for mother and child health‘ funded by AFAS Foundation and implemented by MCNV in coordination with Sepon district health authority./.