On 15 November, at a regular press conference held by the Thanh Hoa Department of Information and Communications, Le Hong Luong – Chair of the Thanh Hoa Association for the Protection of Disabled People and Orphans – said that on 2 December, Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen from Dong Tho ward, Thanh Hoa city, will receive the international Kovalevskaia Award.
Nguyen Thi Thu Hien is only 88cm tall, but she has striven with great determination to overcome difficulties and rise above her fate, achieving much success in life and inspiring many other people with disabilities. Hien has now graduated from three universities and is Director of Suri Co., Ltd.
Also according to Le Hong Luong, Thanh Hoa now “has hundreds of Nick Vujisics”. A typical example is Le Van Tuan from Dong Thinh, Dong Son, a person with a severe disability in both legs. After graduating from university, he returned to teach in his village. After nine years of teaching, the number of Tuan’s pupils has reached thousands; about 700 of them have been admitted to universities and colleges. Tuan has received a scholarship from the French organisation Rencontres du Vietnam and many certificates of merit from authorities at all levels.
Also according to Mr Luong, Thanh Hoa province now has 217,000 people with disabilities, including: war invalids, sick soldiers, Agent Orange victims, victims of workplace accidents and road accidents, people with congenital disabilities, people with disabilities caused by illness, by war and by other causes. Thanh Hoa also has as many as 21,600 orphans.
The Chair of the Thanh Hoa Association for the Protection of Disabled People and Orphans also said that there are now many policies and mechanisms for people with disabilities and orphans, but implementation still has many shortcomings, such as access to capital, hospitals, public offices and restaurants being very difficult for people with disabilities. Even at Lam Son Theatre, when it was built, the association had to raise the matter with the Provincial Party Committee before there was access for people with disabilities.
TRAN LAM – https://laodong.vn