Mr. Duong Quy Nghia stands beside the products he made from coconut shells. Photo: SONG MINH
We had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Nghia less than a month after he moved to Vinh Long province to start his career. Our first impression was his gentle smile and ever-present optimism. Few know that behind that smile lies a journey of overcoming adversity with unwavering determination. A bout of polio at just 9 months old left him permanently unable to walk. Yet, adversity could not stop this young man. He persevered, staying in school until he completed his 12th grade education.
The door to university closed due to family circumstances and health issues, but Nghia never stopped worrying about his future. A stroke of luck came when the local authorities introduced him to a free vocational training course in making handicrafts from coconut shells for people with disabilities. "At that time, I only thought about learning a skill to 'support myself,' never imagining it would stay with me for over a decade," Nghia recalled.
After a period of working for others and then interruptions, in 2014, his passion for handicrafts prompted him to start his own business. Since then, he has been dedicated to the craft for over 12 years, transforming seemingly discarded coconut shells into valuable works of art. According to Mr. Nghia, making handicrafts from coconut shells is not simple, especially for someone with a physical disability. Coconut shells are round, thin, but very hard, requiring the craftsman to be very patient and meticulous. Even for an able-bodied person, creating a beautiful product from raw material like coconut shells requires a lot of skill and dexterity.
To complete a product, the craftsman must go through many elaborate steps, from selecting coconut shells suitable for the design, cleaning the coconut flesh to prevent mold and oil stains, to drawing the pattern, carving details, sanding, creating lines, and finally assembling and varnishing. For small items like keychains or phone holders, he can make dozens a day. But for complex products like sailboats, artwork, or night lamps, it takes him 5-7 days to complete.
To reduce labor and protect his health, he invested in more supporting equipment such as looms, cutting machines, grinding motors, etc. As a result, his products have become increasingly diverse, ranging from cute keychains costing around 15,000 VND to artistic paintings and flower pots worth several million VND. Before shifting to this new direction, his products were sold in many souvenir shops in Long Xuyen ward and received support from customers on online platforms.
After years of working alone in his hometown, Mr. Nghia realized: "Going alone allows you to go fast, but to go far, you need to go with many people." Therefore, he decided to temporarily leave Long Xuyen and move to the "land of coconuts"—a place with abundant raw materials. Currently, he lives and works at a shelter for people with disabilities in Vinh Long province. There, he not only has a plentiful supply of coconut shells, but also fellow disabled people who support each other in their work.
Nghia's dream doesn't stop at personal economic development. He plans to open vocational training classes for people with disabilities once the market stabilizes, helping them find jobs to support themselves. "Hopefully, one day soon, I will return to my hometown of An Giang to open a showroom. It won't just be a place to sell my products, but also a place to introduce and sell products for other people with disabilities. I want to be a bridge, because the most difficult thing for people with disabilities is still finding a market for their products," Nghia shared.
After saying goodbye to Mr. Nghia, the image of the man in the wheelchair, surrounded by rough pieces of coconut shell, still lingers in my mind. His resilience is proof that even when one's legs cannot walk normally, one can still move forward with the strength of their hands, mind, and faith in life.
SONG MINH
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/ve-uoc-mo-tu-gao-dua-a480995.html
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