On the morning of 17 October, at the Au Co Arts Centre, Hanoi, the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Disabled People and Orphans held an exchange programme on the married happiness of people with disabilities, themed “Love’s fulcrum”. The programme was attended by Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Member of the Party Central Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union; Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, Vice Chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and representatives of many ministries, departments and sectors.
The programme was a meaningful activity to mark the anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Women’s Union on 20 October, with a message to promote and praise love, marriage and family happiness, and to care for people with disabilities not only in terms of employment, education and healthcare… but also in terms of their spiritual and emotional lives, because that is the strength, the resource and the fulcrum that helps people with disabilities develop their inner strength, affirm their own value and contribute to their families and society.
Thirty exemplary couples with disabilities from 24 provinces and cities across the country took part in the programme. Love helps them rise above fate and soothe their pain. The fairytale love stories in the programme are proof of that. Thirty couples mean 30 stories of love and marriage, with many levels of emotion, ups and downs, storms. They had to overcome so many difficulties and obstacles to come together and share the sweet and the bitter.
That is the story of Phan Duc Long and Bui Thi Hong Nga (Can Tho). A young teacher, she had to use a wheelchair after an accident and “locked the door” on her heart. But the non-disabled young man Phan Duc Long came to her side, and with boundless love, they accompanied each other on every step of the way and chose helping people with disabilities as their career and joy. She is now Chairwoman of the Can Tho City Association of People with Disabilities…
Many people still believe that people with disabilities should not marry because their children will have disabilities, but reality has proved that all 30 couples with disabilities taking part in the programme have healthy, beautiful, well-behaved and successful children. That is the greatest joy and happiness of people with disabilities, when love blossoms and bears fruit, and these people have gained more strength to walk firmly on the road of life, with many difficulties and challenges still ahead.
The secrets of keeping the flame of happiness alive and moving life stories were fully conveyed by the programme. Through the programme, the organisers hope to add a deeply humane message about the right of people with disabilities to “knock on the door of the heart”, calling for sympathy and sharing with couples with disabilities who still face many difficulties, and supporting the building of charity houses so they have a roof to shelter them from sun and rain.
The programme was a great success, making a deep impression and stirring deep emotions in the audience, and attracting great attention from the community.
Phuong Ha – http://tapchimattran.vn/