 From 28 July to 5 August, the international participation oriented training course = Mekong Delta 2007 was held in Can Tho City, Viet Nam.
36 participants from five countries (Bangladesh, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam) learned together and got fruitful results. This training course has contributed developments of participatory training in Asian countries. This year, the training course was combined with APPLE= Asbestos Precautionary Program by Local Empowerment, it was aiming asbestos substitution and dissemination. Japan prohibited use of asbestos from last year. However in some Asian countries, asbestos consumption is increasing due to needs of raw materials of construction industry. To avoid recurrence of asbestos tragedy, useful precautionary program is very effective and important. So the management committee of Mekong Delta training launched this program by using participatory oriented methodology.
On 28 July afternoon, foreign participants met at Than Son Nhat airport, and proceeded to Can Tho City. A facilitator from Thailand, Wanpen Songkham conducted self-introduction session, so that all participants had friendship easily. The training venue was Can Tho Medical College (CMC), educates 3000 students for nurses and medical engineers. Dr. Tsuyoshi Kawakami, ILO office in Thailand, Dr. Ton That Khai, the principal of CMC and Dr. Akiyoshi Ito, the professor of University of Occupational and Environmental Health were talking about participatory oriented methodologies.
30 and 31 in July were preparation of APPLE training course. The participants were divided into six groups and visited a fibro cement factory. Also they collected good examples of improvements when "factories visit" in Can Tho City.
APPLE training course was carried out on 1 and 2 August. The director and 17 workers from the fibro cement factory learned occupational safety and health issues with foreign participants. Participants from foreign countries showed them simple, low cost and effective improvements with beautiful photos and illustrations. Since foreign participants stressed the substitution of asbestos at the asbestos precautionary session, the director and workers made action plans for asbestos dissemination and substitution.
The next day, farmers invited them to the hamlets and showed them achievements of WIND = Work Improvements Neighbourhoods Developments. WIND launched at Mekong Delta in 1996 and now spread into 17 countries in the world. Also participants enjoyed boat trip on the way to the farmers’ houses. After go back to CMC, they cooked local foods of each countries, also they participated culture exchange program with hundreds of students in CMC.
At the final day, the management committee organized achievements workshop. Dr. Myung Sook Lee from Korea, Dr. Sara Arphorn from Thailand, MD, Mobarok Hossain from Bangladesh, Mr. Katsuyasu Iida from Japan, and Ms. Vu Thi Huynh Han from Viet Nam presented very important subjects about participatory action oriented training. All 15 presentations were very interesting.
The management committee decided the schedule of Mekong Delta 2008 and APPLE follow up activities. Thank you for contribution of all participants!! Thank you for positive participation of a director and workers in Can Tho City!! Thank you for great efforts of CMC, ECHO and ECC staffs!!
|
What
is News?
