Trainees of the labeling and paper bag making class (Photo credit: SEED)

19-year-old Dinh Ngoc Duong suffers from mild autism spectrum disorder. With the support of the teachers of his silk flower making class, Duong was able to make a beautiful silk chrysanthemum for his mother. Duong told VOV that he learned to make flowers for his mom, dad, and siblings because he believes this makes his parents very happy, very pleased.  

In a baking class, students are making sponge cakes under the guidance of Ms. Thu Ha. 17-year-old Hoang Tung has become quite good at following the cake recipe. “I’ve been making cakes at the training center for a long time. I can make sponge cakes, caramel, yogurt, cream puffs, and boat cakes,” Tung told us.

The biscuits made by members of the baking class (Photo credit: SEED)

At SEED, the teachers find out where each student's aptitudes and interests lie – in baking or in making silk flowers, postcards, tote bags, or fabric decorations. Anyone who knows English can take a class in computer photo editing and is assigned jobs as soon as they master the basic operations.

21-year-old Vo Minh Nghia, whose dream is to become a graphic designer, has been studying for six months at the center. “I’ve been learning to use Photoshop for several months. I’m also learning how to mix drinks. I hope to earn enough money to buy a washing machine for my parents. My mother has already retired, but my father is still working. I hope to land a job and earn money to help my parents,” Nghia recalled.

A class in computer photo editing (Photo credit: SEED)

Each student is at a different place on the autism spectrum, so teachers have to divide the classes to accommodate them. In the pre-career class, which is for students with severe syndromes, they learn dances and do many physical activities to burn energy. Some students, when excited, can hurt themselves or their teachers, said teacher Luong Thu Ha, adding without patience, you can’t do this work.

“It can take all day to teach the students to do a simple thing. It might take months or even a couple of years for some students. In the skills classes, we often see children fighting. It takes a lot of love to teach some of the bigger boys, who can weigh up to 100 kg," according to teacher Ha.

The efforts of SEED’s teachers have been rewarded, making them even more attached to the children. When she first came to the center, Dang Mai Lam, born in 2001 with high-functioning autism, struggled with severe behavior disorder. After two years of studying and practicing communication skills at SEED, her condition is improving.

She can now make silk flowers, embroider a flower, and participate in selling products. She is working as an assistant to the teachers at the center with a monthly salary of about 60 USD. Although Lam finds it difficult to talk about her feelings, she is happy to work to show her gratitude for her parents and teachers.

“I can make beautiful artificial flowers such as daisies and roses. I give my salary to my parents. My parents are very happy and that makes me want to work more,” said Lam.

Their child’s improvement gives parents greater confidence as time goes by. Nguyen Thi En, the mother of Nguyen Duc Phu, who is studying label making at the center, says that when children have the love and guidance of teachers, they are able to achieve their own dreams. Ms. En recalled, “Phu has earned a salary for three months. In the first month he worked hard and received 90 USD. He was happy and I was even happier than him.”

The SEED Career Education and Training Center is a model that many autism education centers are particularly interested in collaborating with. Nguyen Thuy Huong, Director of the Green Rainbow Center, said, “The two most important parts of career training for children with autism are the cooperation of the parents and the efforts of the children. It also requires the support of caregivers, philanthropists, and organizations who understand the children and have a broad perspective of the environment they need.”

“Many countries have set up an environment for special-needs children that offers them a job and a salary. We hope that Vietnam can do the same, because right now it’s very difficult to find jobs for autistic children,” Ms. Huong noted.

SEED’s Director Dr. Dao Thu Thuy (C) (Photo credit: SEED)

SEED Center has been running two facilities, one in Hanoi and the other in Thai Nguyen province. It enrolled about 100 children in 2022. For five years SEED’s Director Dr. Dao Thu Thuy and her colleagues have been providing vocational training for children with autism as they are sowing the seeds of love with the belief that love and sharing will nurture our future.