Light up the will to live for people in the same situation
Now, Ms. Do Thi Thanh (born in 1969, Tay Phuong commune, Hanoi ) is confident in communicating, has a stable income from her business and has found her other half after many years of living alone due to her disability complex. When mentioning the turning point in her life, she always gives gratitude to Ms. Le Thi Ha (born in 1976, Ha Dong ward, Hanoi) for inspiring her.
“In 1992, I fell while doing housework. The accident severely damaged my lumbar vertebrae 1 to 4. The prolonged pain and feelings of despair made me want to give up,” Ms. Thanh recalled.
The turning point came in 2018, when Ms. Thanh attended a consultation session for people with spinal injuries organized by the Vietnam Spinal Injury Club. At that program, Ms. Le Thi Ha (then Vice President of the Club) shared her journey of overcoming the incident with the participation and listened to each story, understanding each situation of the participants. For Ms. Thanh, it was the first time in many years that she felt she was recognized equally, and had the determination to change her life.
“That meeting with Ha made me realize that I needed to change. I started to open up, learn by myself and find a job to earn an income. Gradually, I believed that I deserved a happy life like everyone else,” Thanh shared.
Not only Ms. Thanh, that consultation session also became a turning point for Ms. Hoang Thi Hau (born in 1965, in Ha Dong ward, Hanoi). Having a congenital leg disability, Ms. Hau used to live a closed life because she always had an inferiority complex.
“The image of Ha sitting in a wheelchair but still coordinating the program, talking clearly and welcoming everyone with confidence urged me to look back at myself and bravely step out of my comfort zone,” Ms. Hau recalled.
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After the consultation, through Ms. Ha's introduction, Ms. Hau learned a trade at the Vun Art Cooperative (a place that provides job opportunities for people with disabilities) and became an experience guide for domestic and foreign guests. Once afraid of crowds, she is now confident in presenting and participating in many community activities. With a stable income and a job she loves, she said the most precious thing is that she has found her own value.
Not only Ms. Thanh or Ms. Hau, thousands of disabled people have found motivation to live thanks to Ms. Le Thi Ha's peer counseling sessions. But to be able to give strength to others, Ms. Ha herself has gone through a journey of pain and challenges.
The incident happened
22 years ago, Ms. Ha was a woman with a bright future with 2 university degrees from the University of Foreign Languages (now Hanoi University) and the Diplomatic Academy, a good job at Bao Viet Nhan Tho and a small, happy family. But everything ended after a serious traffic accident.
Having escaped the “grim reaper” after many days in a coma, Ms. Ha still believed that with time, everything would recover. But 2 months later, that hope collapsed. “The doctor informed me that I was paralyzed from the waist down and would have to use a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I needed someone to help me with all my activities. At that time, I felt like I was falling into an abyss. The prolonged psychological breakdown made me think of death as a way to escape,” she choked up.
During the dark days, Ha’s biggest support was her family. Her little child asked her mother to tell her stories every day. Her parents, over 70 years old, silently took care of her every meal, every sleep. “I looked at my child and my parents and did not allow myself to think about death anymore. Even though I was still very depressed, I knew I had to live,” she shared.
In 2007, when she heard that her former student had met with an accident, her teacher, Meritorious Teacher Dang Hien, came to visit her. During the conversation, he encouraged her: “You don’t need to be a rose or a sunflower, just live like a weed. Even if you are trampled, as long as you have a little bit of root left, you can still survive.”
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Ms. Le Thi Ha (far right) works with foreign partners. Photo: NVCC |
That statement motivated Ms. Ha to get up. In 2007, her first short story was published in the Hanoi Moi Newspaper. The small royalties at that time became a great source of encouragement, helping her believe that she could still work and live a useful life.
Strong as a weed
From writing stories, she gradually found her rhythm of life again. In 2010, when participating in activities at the Hanoi Center for Independent Living for the Disabled, thanks to her flexible communication skills and positive thinking, she became a counselor in peer counseling sessions. From there, her journey of spreading her will to live expanded to many provinces and cities such as: Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho ,...
Through traveling and interacting with many people, she realized that in the disabled community, people with spinal injuries are a special group. Most of them are of working age, and after an accident, they have to face both physical loss and severe mental shock.
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Ms. Le Thi Ha (top row, far right) is currently the Vice President of the Vietnam Spinal Injury Club. Photo: NVCC |
From that concern, in 2018, she and her fellow sufferers founded the Vietnam Spinal Injury Club, under the Vietnam Association for the Disabled. To date, the club has gathered more than 2,000 members across the country, divided into 17 regions with group leaders in charge of each area.
“The club is a place for people to connect and share with each other, from knowledge, life skills to psychological issues or very specific needs. During peer consultation sessions, we discuss how to care for wounds, use appropriate support equipment, or simply how to appear neat and make a good impression when going out,” Ms. Ha emphasized.
Not only consulting, Ms. Ha and her colleagues also strive to mobilize social resources to support club members in difficult circumstances. In the past 5 years, she and Mr. Pham Thanh Son - Vice President of the Southern Club, have mobilized nearly 3 billion VND to donate learning and working tools such as: Laptops, sewing machines, portable speakers, ... to people with spinal injuries nationwide.
Many disabled people in difficult circumstances have been connected by Ms. Ha and received cash support from philanthropists. Photo: NVCC |
In addition, Ms. Ha directly connects the Club with the volunteer group “Rainbow Class” to support hospital fees for people with spinal injuries in especially difficult circumstances. The cases are verified by the regional group leader and submitted for proposal. The support level ranges from 10 to 30 million VND per person, spread across the country.
“During the Covid-19 outbreak, my colleagues and I coordinated to deploy many support campaigns including food, necessities and cash (500,000 VND/person) for about 100 people with disabilities in the southern provinces,” said Ms. Ha.
The club also established a medicine fund for members who are not eligible for hospital treatment. Upon receiving the information, the club will consult with a doctor and then send the medicine to the person in need.
Fragrance for life
Along with community support activities, Ms. Ha still maintains an independent and financially proactive life. Her main job is to be in charge of communications for the Vun Art Cooperative (a place that creates livelihoods for people with disabilities through the art of scrap fabric paintings). In addition, she sells airline tickets online and teaches some children in the residential area to earn extra income. Her steady work, positive relationships and meaningful contributions leave her no time for negative thoughts.
In the future, Ms. Ha said she will continue to connect with philanthropists to support people with disabilities in special circumstances. In addition, she and Mr. Le Viet Cuong (founder of Vun Art Cooperative) are planning to open a coffee shop to create more jobs for people with disabilities who cannot participate in manual embroidery.
Sitting in a wheelchair, living with incurable injuries, but Ms. Ha has never let that become a limit. She does not talk much about what she has experienced, nor does she consider what she does to be something great; but from the way she lives, people can clearly feel a quiet but persistent determination. Every job she is pursuing, every program she connects with, every gift sent at the right time... is proof of a life that does not stop in the face of adversity. And thanks to people like that, this life always has reason to hope: Even when not healthy, people can still live fully, share and support others with all they have.
Article and photos: TRAN HAI LY
Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/toa-sang-vang-trang-khuyet-836955
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