Helping hand for Vietnam school

We need help to give hope ...

Backpacking 20 years ago, Liverpudlian Jackie Wrafter travelled to Vietnam. Her experience there day centre where we could do all that we did at the orphanage, but better, and could give families enough support to keep their children who had disability within the home. programmes, early numeracy and literacy, mainstream Vietnamese curriculum, communication, behaviour modification, as well as many creative subjects such as dance therapy, cut and just don’t have the money to donate to us anymore, and bigger donors are unsure what the future holds and so are hanging on to their money. RUAIRI WALSH speaks to local charity campaigner from Liverpool Jackie Wrafter about her fight to improve children’s education in Vietnamese schools after life-changing backpacking trip changed her life and pushed her on “Quite unexpectedly, we received music, art, drama and yoga. “We do also receive some donations to remarkable achievements and money to build our own day centre “Those that need it have physio and from the tourist industry within realising a very special dream. from the Royal Melbourne Institute occupational therapy, and we have a Vietnam but tourism has completely

A dream, which is now under threat. of Technology and we opened up in big organic garden where they learn dried up here this year and those When Jackie and her friend travelled 2012.” to garden. It is really an international that previously helped us are also to Vietnam in 2000 they visited a What they set up was the Kianh standard special school that is acces- struggling.” local orphanage just outside Hoi Foundation, a school for disadvan- sible to extremely poor families and This drop in funding is beginning An City and what they found there taged children with disabilities which their children. to cause effects on the ground and horrified them. has proven to be a huge success “We also have a vocational training is meaning that after a decade of

“There was one room closed off helping hundreds of children get the programme for our older students. As life-changing work, the foundation from the rest of the orphanage and help that they would not ordinarily many qualified people have told me itself is in danger. when we went inside, we found a be able to. many times, I think it is also the best “There is less and less money comroom full of children with disabilities. But the impact of the pandemic and special school in Vietnam.” ing in each month, and savings that The room was hot, dark and smelled the loss of tourists who also support The Kianh Foundation has gained we had are now having to be used to of urine. Many of the children were the foundation, it is struggling for the international recognition and in 2018 plug the gaps in our budget.” curled up in foetal positions on their funding it needs to keep going. Jackie received an MBE from Prince She fears she may soon have to beds,” says Jackie. “The children all had physical disability, but seemed very intellectually disabled as well. However, after Speaking to Liverpool Life from Vietnam, Jackie says: “We currently have 82 children, William in recognition of her work. “It was obviously very nice to be recognised for so many years of hard, often challenging work, and I tell her 38 staff that there is no more work for them. “Most of our highly-trained, wonderful Vietnamese staff are the main spending some time with them, we aged from two to 19, attending our was quite surprised about it, mainly breadwinners for their family and found that many of them had just shut school. We have also done a lot of as Vietnam does not seem to appear many of them have their own difficult down from the world, as nothing ever outreach work, providing and fitting on the British radar very often. But circumstances, as single mothers, happened in it. customized wheelchairs to children in part of me felt a little bit fraudulent, widows or having some disability

“When we gave them some remote areas. because getting to the stage we are themselves.” attention, they began to open up and “I know it’s a lot of kids that we’ve now at, has been a very big group Jackie’s message is simple. we found that many of the children worked with, but we can’t boast huge effort by so many people, from inside “Please help us to keep our school had small or no cognitive disability numbers as our work is mainly long Vietnam and outside of it. Part of me open and give what you can; either and were bright, humorous little term. If a child comes to our school didn’t feel right about just me getting a one-off or regular donation. Or characters. at two years of age, theoretically they the award.” club together with a group of family, “Before we worked with them, these children never left the room, or had any kind of stimulation or play. They were just fed roughly and hosed may stay there until they are 18 or 19, so the commitment is a long one. “We work with kids with a wide range of issues, including Cerebral However after all of the foundation’ssuccesses, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit friends or workmates to sponsor one of our students or a teacher or therapist. “If things continue like this, we will down once a day.” Palsy, Down’s Syndrome, Autism its normal funding hard. have to close our doors next year.

Spurred on by this, Jackie and her Syndrome, Cognitive Disability, Mi- “We are funded mainly by interna- And we will have to tell 82 children friend set up classrooms at the or- crocephaly, and some rarer disorders tional donations, some one-off big that love their school and that have phanage and arranged social outings such as Deafblindness or Chromo- ones, some smaller, steady ones that nowhere else to go, that there will be as well as medical care including some 10 deficiencies. Every child has cover, for example, child sponsor- no more school for them.” physios and surgeries. This led to an Individual Education Plan, and our ship,” says Jackie. • Donations can be made at: Virgin more families in the area bringing teachers have to be experts in many “As the Pandemic hits the income Money Giving: https://uk.virgintheir disabled children to the orphanareas. stream around the world, those dona- moneygiving.com/donation-web/ age to receive better care. “The children have a busy school tions are drying up. Some people are charity?charityId=1010097&frequen-

“We dreamed of having our own day and we have special education losing their jobs or having their hours cyType=M&stop_mobi=yes

#LL THIS WEEK You

IF YOU THINK A LOVED ONE IS SUFFERING FROM DOMESTIC ABUSE

are Do not tell them what to do or tell them to leave. Believe them. Validate what they are telling you. For example, ‘I’m really glad you told me,’ ‘this isn’t your fault,’ ‘you are not alone’. Ask them what they need and be guided by them. not The survivor is always the expert in their own lives. It is important to be patient and allow them to set the pace. If possible, share information about how to get specialist support. If possible, offer to keep in touch by phone or online, and ask them the safest way to do this. alone If you have an established and trusting relationship with the survivor - you can discuss a code word with them. This code word can be used if they need you to call the police on their behalf.

A Liverpool domestic violence charity is reporting a doubling of demand during the lockdown, reports RUAIRI WALSH

This year has seen a rise group-based support and wellbeing in cases of domestic sessions, telephone support, counselviolence across the UK. ling has been delivered via telephone Nationally, the police as well as strategic institutional local have reported more than and national advocacy for those we a quarter of a million cases of domes- support. We have, however, moved tic violence between March and June to deliver safely face to face working – a 7% rise on last year’s figures. practice in line with government This represented roughly one in five advice. of all criminal offences in this time. The achievements of Liverpool

As well as this, in the first three Domestic Abuse Service are even months of lockdown more than more remarkable considering funding 40,000 calls and contacts were made is based on donations. to the National Domestic Abuse “We get very little to deliver our Helpline, mostly by women seeking service from any local or government help. funding and rely on donations to

In June, calls and contacts were deliver our much needed service,” nearly 80% higher than usual, says she added. the charity Refuge, which runs the This hasn’t stopped them teaming helpline. up with Tesco and Jacks to make sure

This disturbing trend has also that survivors can access electronic affected Liverpool, according to Di- devices and get help. rector of Policy and Development at Caroline said: “That means they Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service, are able to access support and do Caroline Grant. not face technological barriers. We

She said: “During the period April have been given phones/ tablets to to September, we as a service have distribute. We have additionally been supported 1575 survivors. In the given packages for personal care for whole of 2019, we supported 1500. survivors, who often are not able As you can see this has led to general to prioritise their own needs, from increase in support need of 100%.” Jacks.”

This rush for demand is also com- During lockdown the government plicated by the Covid-19 guidelines announced about £30m in extra that have to be followed. funding to tackle domestic abuse, but

“We have maintained a full-service according to Caroline more needs delivery, albeit delivered in a different to be done and there needs to be “a format. We have been and are fully review locally and nationally on the accessible to any survivor who may true impact of domestic abuse and need support,” said Caroline Grant. (investment) in coordinated responses

“We’re still delivering online that are adequately funded.” Call 999 if it is an emergency and someone is in immediate danger

The impact of Covid-19 has put pressure on families and support services ©unsplash.com

LL THIS WEEK TIER-

Liverpool’s restrictions have eased in time for the holidays. So, what do we do now?

By Reece Pape

With national lockdown ending this week, Liverpool will be entering Tier 2 of the government’s new regime to tackle COVID-19.

What this means is that, fortunately, the city has managed to avoid the harshest limitations; a significant contrast to October, when it was cited as being one of the areas with the highest levels of infection.

Whilst across all tiers everyone must abide by social distancing rules, wear a face-covering in most indoor settings (barring a valid excuse, of course), and avoid public transport where possible, in Tier 2 there are some nostalgic activities from pre-COVID life that you are allowed to engage in.

Liverpool is waking up to a new, slightly easier way of life today.

Firstly, though there is still a ban on mixing indoors with those outside of your household and support bubbles, you can actually meet up with other people. The only downside being that it is only allowed in an outdoor setting, with the rule of six still in place.

Some, though, are just happy to be able to meet up at all.

Local resident Liam Walsh said: “I’ve gotten sick of just seeing the same people all the time, in all honesty.

“Obviously, I love everyone I live with, but it’ll be nice to be able to sit somewhere with my mates and get some drinks in or something.”

The drinks will have to come with a very large side of chips because whilst non-food serving pubs and bars (as well as nightclubs) will remain closed in the city, hospitality venues serving alcohol can only do so provided they can offer a ‘substantial’ meal alongside it.

Unfortunately, still no late nights downing tangy cocktails and sending embarrassing texts to your nan either, as these establishments must also call final orders by 10pm and close by 11pm. Nobody is stopping you from

8

doing this at home though.

If your personality isn’t completely defined by the beverages you drink, there’s still loads on offer entertainment-wise.

Cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, and (the one we’ve been waiting for!) bingo halls are all back open, again with 11pm closures.

One such theatre, Storyhouse in Chester, have announced their adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’ will be performed from December 2 until January 17, with priority booking for those in Liverpool, Wirral and Warrington.

The show will play to around 200 people per night around the theatre’s thrust stage - 40% of normal capacity - to allow for social distancing and will run without an interval to avoid toilet queues.

Andrew Bentley, CEO of the Storyhouse, said: “It’s our privilege and our joy to be staging a show this Christmas, we are one of the lucky ones. Storyhouse was the country’s first theatre to open after lockdown and we learnt a lot about staging shows in this climate, in the summer, with a 33-date run of A Comedy of Errors.

“That performance sold out in a week and we know how much a little taste of normal means to the country. We’re proud to be playing our part. Bring on the tinsel!”

Speaking of tinsel, do you need to buy some? No more sitting inside waiting on Amazon to deliver it, you can pick it up yourself! All essential and non-essential shops are back open this week, putting Christmas shopping back on the table.

Samantha Jones, of Toxteth, said: “It sounds proper funny, but it’s just a slice of normality that I miss. Like, just going the shop and picking up something that isn’t a loaf or anything like that.

“It just sounds so relaxing, and I think it’ll honestly just help to make things not as depressing. It’s making me feel Christmassy just talking about it.”

Public attendance at spectator sport is also permitted, limited to either 50% capacity or 2,000 people outdoors and

Curtain up for theatres

1,000 indoors.

With this news, football fans are looking forward to the burst of energy this return may bring into the game.

Liverpool FC supporter Pete Johnson said: “I think it’s going to boost the atmosphere definitely. I think for the players, just having people there is going be a big help. They’ve had to play without the fans there with them for ages, so I think even having 2000 people at the grounds is going to be a massive change.

“There’s some rumours going around that the Premier League might ban singing and all that, but I think that if the players have to adjust to playing the game differently, then there’s no harm in us adjusting either. It won’t be forever.”

With gyms, hairdressers and even places of worship also opening up again, it seems as though it is possible for some sense of normality to return.

The government is also allowing hugging, which comes as great news to Liverpool resident Sharon Pomford.

The 52-year-old said: “I can’t wait to give my parents a hug, I’ve not seen them in so long. I was really worried about them being alone for Christmas, but now a few of us can go and see them.”

She added: “This year has been hard for everybody, so it’ll be nice to chill out and see family without worrying about getting into trouble.”

Additional reporting by Aidan Crisp

Pubs reopen with a 10pm curfew

Credit @IsiCairns Liverpool Life