A man paralyzed from head to toe has built 34 reading spaces for the community.

For over 40 years, confined to a single lying position, Do Ha Cu has persistently nurtured his love of books and his desire to spread reading culture to the community. He founded the Hope Reading Space Club and built 34 reading spaces, many of which are directly managed by people with disabilities.

Do Ha Cu was born in 1984 in Hung Yen . He suffers from a congenital mobility disability due to the effects of Agent Orange inherited from his father, a soldier who fought in the Quang Tri battlefield. From birth until adulthood, he has only been able to lie down. All his personal activities are entirely dependent on his family.

Not only was he paralyzed from head to toe, but his illness also caused him to speak with a slurred, difficult-to-pronounce voice. Holding a pen was impossible for him. Yet, in his own unique way, Ha Cu taught himself, memorizing letters, rhyming, and constructing sentences through poems he had already memorized.

Once he learned to read, Ha Cu read almost non-stop. He asked relatives to find books for him, borrowed books, and asked for books. From books, he gained a better understanding of society, of people, and of himself. "Books helped me acquire knowledge and see a path for a life that seemed to have no end," he said.

"Books have changed my life," Ha Cu affirmed. But his love of books once faced a major obstacle: lack of money to buy them. From a simple suggestion – creating a reading space to have access to more books – a grand idea took shape in his mind.

Do Ha Cu was a guest on the "Sower of Hope" program of Vietnam Television.

In 2018, the Hope Reading Space Club was established. The club's goal is to create free reading spaces for the community, with a unique feature: the "librarians" are people with disabilities. Ha Cu hopes that, through books, people with disabilities can become more confident and gradually improve their quality of life.

The initial path was far from smooth. Even within the family, not everyone was ready to support someone who was "unable to care for themselves" managing the bookshelf. Neighbors also expressed considerable skepticism. The initial space was cramped and disorganized, and management was quite awkward.

Step by step, Ha Cu and the volunteers established rules, reorganized the space, and empowered readers. Readers took notes themselves, arranged their books, fostering trust and connection. The model gradually became well-established.

Currently, the reading space managed by Ha Cu alone has 7 bookshelves with approximately 4,000 titles, along with 3,000 books in reserve for circulation. From the early days when they had to use their own money to build shelves and buy books, the club has now received widespread support from the community in terms of both funding and books.

To date, Do Ha Cu has contributed to the establishment of 34 community reading spaces. For himself, his wish is simple: to have enough health to continue serving the community and to find a suitable job to support himself and his caregiver.

It could be said that, from a life spent lying down, he opened up "spaces for standing up" for knowledge and hope.

Do Ha Cu received a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister for his achievements in social welfare and active participation in community activities, contributing to the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland in 2021; and the 2019 Reading Culture Development Award from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In 2024, he published his autobiography, "The Color of Hope" (Vietnam Women's Publishing House). Do Ha Cu is the subject of the television program " The Sower of Hope ," airing at 10:00 AM on January 24, 2026, on VTV1.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-liet-toan-than-xay-dung-34-khong-gian-doc-cho-cong-dong-238260123224310593.htm