The Will of a Disabled Woman

Ms. Manh is a victim of Agent Orange, a consequence of the years when her father, Mr. Tran Van Tu, a veteran who fought in the Southern battlefield, was exposed to toxic chemicals. Born weak, growing up with blurred eyes and unsteady legs, Ms. Manh faced life with will and determination. Slippery rain and slippery roads made it easy to fall, but Ms. Manh's desire to learn to read and write was always strong. At the age of 9, she started first grade. Despite the enthusiastic help of her family, teachers, and friends, due to difficult circumstances and limited health, she was forced to stop studying in grade 5.

Ms. Manh with her daily job selling lottery tickets.

Not accepting to depend on her relatives, at the age of 20, Ms. Manh began to earn a living by doing simple jobs such as peeling labels, sewing, and selling ready-made clothes at the local markets. When her parents were constantly ill, she decided to stay home to take care of them, selling lottery tickets around the neighborhood to earn an income. At the age of 39, she married a man who also sold lottery tickets, but their happiness was short-lived. Only 5 years later, her husband passed away in a traffic accident. Then her parents also passed away due to illness, leaving her with loneliness and many difficulties.

Nearly a year ago, on a familiar road, she was wandering around in an old wheelchair to sell lottery tickets when a sudden disaster struck when the wheelchair derailed, causing her two ankles to break and after treatment, she had to be fixed with stainless steel braces. Every step she took now was filled with excruciating pain. The small house became the place where she faced long days, when her disabled body was further damaged, and the worry of making a living weighed heavily on her mind. “Knowing that I was disabled since I was young, I felt sad and had an inferiority complex. But thanks to the encouragement of my brothers, I told myself that I had to try hard and do something to ease the burden on my family. Even though my legs were unsteady, I still had my hands,” Ms. Manh confided.

The wheelchair, which was supported by benefactors, has taken Ms. Manh through many rural roads, and is now a witness to the pain, but she has not given up. With the same hands, every day, she arranges lottery tickets, continuing her journey to make a living. Although Ms. Manh's life is not without difficulties and challenges, it has not discouraged her. "There are many Agent Orange victims of my generation who are bedridden, completely dependent on their relatives, but compared to that, I am still luckier, so I have to encourage myself to try to rise up in life," Ms. Manh shared.

Ms. Manh's perseverance not only made her relatives admire her but also made her loved by the whole neighborhood. Recognizing Ms. Manh's perseverance and hard work, the local government has taken many measures to support her materially and spiritually. In 2023, the Buddhists of Hanh Nhon Monastery (Hamlet 3, Tan Binh Commune, Cai Lay Town), led by Nun Thich Nu Nhuan Loc, together with her brothers, relatives and Ms. Manh herself, saved up to build a level 4 house worth 120 million VND. From those difficult days, Ms. Manh wrote a story about her will to live, about her will to overcome the pain of disability to rise up in life.

QUANG HUY

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/xa-hoi/202504/nghi-luc-cua-nguoi-phu-nu-khuet-tat-1041149/