The first "Playground for Integration" was built last month at Residential Area 11 in Hanoi’s Ha Dong district. Members of the “Wheeling dreams” group turned old tires, wooden boards, and pallets into playground equipment for children.

The playground was designed to accommodate people with disabilities. Its six modules – a swing for wheelchairs, wind chimes for the blind, ladders, balance bridges, seesaws, and slides – are safe for disabled children and the use of recycled materials conveys a message of reducing waste.

Le Hoai Nam, the team leader, recalled, “Our group has set up many playgrounds. One day a group member raised the question of whether the playgrounds were safe for people with disabilities. This was a troubling question. We started figuring out ways to build a playground that was adapted to the needs of children with disabilities.”

From that time, they called such a playground a "Playground for Integration" because it’s equipped specifically for disabled children. The swings and balance bridges, for example, are big enough to accommodate a wheelchair, said Nam.

A playground is the most practical gift for children with disabilities. (Photo: laodongthudo.vn)

The group's effort to build green, healthy playgrounds for disabled children has received strong support from the community.

The group members are praised for their enthusiasm and patience while the playground is described useful for both disabled children and others who live nearby.

In their spare time the volunteer group organizes other activities like haircuts, team building, and group singing for the local children. But creating the playground was especially satisfying for them.

Group members themselves feel great to have participated in the project because seeing the smiles of the children inspire them to do more for the disadvantaged community.

In seven years the "Wheel dreams" group has built 20 playgrounds, most of them in remote mountain or island areas.