Braille was introduced in Vietnam in the late 19^th century. However, only a small number of blind children of rich families had the chance to study the alphabet. More than 95 percent of the blind were illiterate and led hard lives.

Since the Vietnam Blind Association was established in 1969, Braille classes have been launched across the country. Thanks to these classes, as many as 22,000 visually impaired people have completed primary education.

The association has run between 120-150 classes annually with a total investment of billions of Vietnamese dong. Two thirds of the sum has been sponsored by philanthropists.

Nguyen Xuan Huong, vice president of the association, said the Braille system has helped the blind escape poverty and broaden their knowledge. Many blind people have passed tertiary education examinations and become good managers of production and services workshops. 

At the ceremony, the association presented certificates of merit to 25 collectives and 27 individuals for their outstanding achievements in a Braille writing and reading contest launched by the association’s central committee.