People with visual impairments, like sighted people, need jobs and a stable income, not having to depend on family and relatives. They also want to have a family and to have children. Among the professions such as massage, toothpick packaging, broom making or basket weaving, massage is the most suitable profession for blind people and provides the highest income. People who have completed massage training all have stable jobs. They are more confident and integrated into the community.
Sustainable Massage for Visually Impaired Livelihood Empowerment (SMILE) launched last month with its Basic Massage Training class for 16 visually impaired individuals in Hung Yen Province. This comprehensive project empowers the Blind Association to better serve its members through three interconnected components: specialized training programs (Basic Massage, Advanced Massage, and Technology Transfer), provision of essential materials and technology, and ongoing post-training support with learning exchanges and research into the opportunities and challenges within the massage and acupressure profession.
