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the Center for Research and Action for Inclusive Development (IDEA), in cooperation with the Centre for Community Economics and Development (ECCO) and a group of parents of children with autism, organised the opening ceremony of the painting and photo exhibition “Nem’s Story” at KAI Art Centre, 342 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
“Nem’s Story” introduces works created by Nem, whose real name is Ha Dinh Chi; he has had autism since he was one year old. Nem finds it difficult to express himself and communicate through speech, gestures and actions. However, his talent for painting, which sprouted very early, has given him the ability to depict his colourful and diverse world in paintings full of feeling; over time, painting has become the only means for Nem to think and engage with the outside world.
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Ha Dinh Long, Nem’s father, explains to visitors the whimsical paintings drawn by the boy.
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Nem seems to have no need to share and play with friends, but he does have a need to play with the strokes on a blank sheet of paper. Ha Dinh Long, Nem’s father, discovered that Nem showed unusual signs when he was one year old: all his fine and gross motor movements were very slow, he cried like a baby a few months old, and he was very hard to raise. In particular, at the start of 2010, when Nem was five, he drew and wrote very beautifully with his left hand, and from then on his talent for painting developed. Each painting Nem draws is a way for Nem to sense and communicate with the outside world.
Lan Phuong, Nem’s mother, shared: “Nem spends hours absorbed in the many different images in his head; the family encourages Nem to follow his passion, with the aim of keeping him always happy and comfortable”.
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The outdoor exhibition area showing Nem’s activities (photo: Ngoc Hien).
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Every child is a small world, and Nem is a representative of other children with autism, expressing his life through paintings. Nem is very good at drawing lines; when it comes to colouring, he is often impatient, yet all of Nem’s paintings are very innocent and carefree, not constrained, and they all reflect the colourful and varied life of the present. Through Nem’s works, viewers can also see a world through a completely different lens, a very personal imagination. People come into contact with the real world of children with autism, and through this parents will learn a great deal that is useful for educating and engaging with their own children, especially patience. Lan Phuong shared her experience with other parents on how to communicate with children with autism:“Parents are the most important factor in connecting children with the outside world, so spend more time with your child and understand what your child needs”.
Like other normal children, children with disabilities each have their own potential and all seek happiness. According to the Education Development Strategy 2011 – 2020, the Ministry of Education and Training set the goal of education and inclusion being carried out at all levels, so that by 2020, 70% of children with disabilities would be in school.
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The rich and vivid landscape paintings drawn by Nem.
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In fact, the number of children with disabilities attending pre-school and primary school is increasing. However, the proportion of people with disabilities, including children with disabilities, who graduate from primary school is low, at around 38%. In 2010, about 35% of people with disabilities over 16 could not read or write, and the proportion of people with disabilities with a qualification at vocational secondary level or above was under 3%.
The community still does not fully recognise the role and responsibility of society in educating children with disabilities, or the development potential of children with disabilities when they are educated. Nguyen Hong Oanh, Head of IDEA, shared: “Nem’s Story is expected to bring about many changes in awareness and, more importantly, will give children with disabilities the opportunity to live and express their own voices”
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