Sadly, children in
Vietnam bear the brunt of the traffic safety crisis because they do
not have access to proper safety equipment. In a society where the
motorbike is the primary mode of transportation, children have
become the most vulnerable passengers while riding with their
parents. In response, Asia Injury initiated Helmets for Kids.
Launched in 2000, this innovative program was the catalyst for
government, nonprofit organizations, and corporate sponsors to work
together to develop one of the most successful public-private
partnerships devoted to saving the lives of children in the
developing world.
Helmets for Kids was
officially launched on November 19, 2000 in Ho Chi Minh City by
former US President Bill Clinton along with founding sponsors APL
and BP. The program is designed to not only distribute safety
helmets, but also to expose children to the importance of traffic
safety at an early age. Through the initiative, more than 150,000
helmets have been donated and distributed to children at over 100
schools in 6 cities nationwide. This has been made possible by the
generosity of 23 corporate sponsors. 66 lives of children have been
saved, who were involved in serious accidents while wearing their
Protec helmets.
