The Nguyen Nga Center  is a charitable association for children with special needs, offering education, free job training, and job placement assistance. Many of the students are provided room and board. They are given rare opportunities for self-expression and enjoyment through creative writing, drawing, painting, music, song and dance.

The NNC was founded in July 1993 with the initial aim of “Contributing to the improvement of the quality of life for the children with special needs.” Since then, the center has trained over 800 students with 28 staff and teachers. The center continues to help children with disabilities to overcome their feelings of social inferiority and helps them toward financial independence.

After over 15 years in service, the operating mission statement now reads: "To improve the quality of life of young people with special needs in the Binh Dinh Province while developing social and vocational skills that will foster  independence.”

At present, NNC operates at three locations in Quy Nhon City - Binh Dinh Province in Central Vietnam.

* One location provides support for 70 students with deaf and physical disabilities. Here they learn: computer skills, painting, sewing, embroidery, design, manufacturing of Ao Dai’s (the traditional Vietnamese dress), and manufacturing of various handicraft items. All of the products are sold from the show room, where students also learn business and retail skills.
* The second location is for 30 students, with hearing impairments and physical disabilities, to make gloves for hospital.
* The third location provides accommodation for 20-25 students with physical disabilities. Here they can also make simple handicraft bracelets.

The NNC also runs four different clubs to help support their students in specific areas:

- University students

- Club Families Club

- Self-reliant Club

- Out-of-Center Club

Mrs Nga’s efforts have been incredibly fruitful, only because her students have the determination to be self-reliant and to integrate themselves into the broader community. The products that they make are shown and sold at many exhibitions and retail outlets throughout Vietnam. The sale of the handicraft items provides some income to them, as well as helping to cover some of the operating expenses of the NNC itself.

(NguyenNga.org)