The aftermath of the war remains very heavy on the land of Quang Tri. So many people died, so many families fell into poverty, and many lives are still suffering the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin… But with extraordinary will and resilience, many people have overcome adversity, “lighting up” the future for themselves and for generations to come.
Rising above disability
When writing about the war, I suddenly remember the image of Mr Nguyen Van Su, 51, living in Kinh Mon hamlet (Trung Son commune, Gio Linh district), who lost both legs and sits on a low bench repairing bicycles. When I was in primary school, my family was poor and had no money to repair my bicycle. Knowing my circumstances, whenever I rode past his house and my bicycle had a slack chain or something broken, Mr Su would call me over and repair it for me without charging. Not only me – many pupils received free bicycle repairs from him like that. Recalling the unfortunate day that befell him, Mr Su said it was a morning at the end of 1990. As he was hoeing land to clear it, he struck a mine and lost both legs. He was lucky to escape with his life, but after that fateful day he had to live with shame and sorrow, at times even thinking of death because he did not want to become a “burden” on his wife and children. But then, with the encouragement of his neighbours, and especially his kind wife, he rose above it…
With only two arm stumps left, Mr Dao Dang Yen (Trung Son commune, Gio Linh district, Quang Tri) still works hard in production. Ngoc Vu
At first, he borrowed a little capital from his brothers and neighbours to open a small grocery shop for income. Some time later, he added bicycle repairs for people in the hamlet. Then he borrowed money to buy a second-hand motorbike and, with books, taught himself to repair motorbikes. After two years, Mr Su had become the best-known motorbike mechanic in the area. Today, the repair shop bearing his name is a familiar address for the people of Trung Son commune. Thanks to the shop's brisk trade, he has been able to raise his three children to complete their education.
Mr Hoang Lang, 54, living in Mai Dan hamlet, Hai Lam commune (Hai Lang district), lost both arms when a cluster bomb exploded while he was clearing weeds from a field. After many difficulties, with extraordinary resilience and a dream of becoming prosperous, Mr Lang has built an impressive estate with 20ha of acacia forest, 2ha of cassava, and herds of cattle and chickens… earning on average 200 million VND a year. He is known as the “king of tree planting with his arm stumps”. Not only that, Mr Lang is also a “champion swimmer” in the Quang Tri provincial swimming team for people with disabilities, winning many national gold medals.
Because of the effects of Agent Orange from her father, a combat engineer, when Nguyen Thi Thuong (born in 1995, living in Tan Hiep, Cam Tuyen, Cam Lo) was born, her two arms were curled together and could not move. It seemed her life would be nothing but a chain of dark days. But after more than 10 years of hard training and enduring pain, Thuong has almost fully restored the function of her arms. Thuong can go to school with her friends, and she is now a first-year student at a college in Da Nang, with a bright future ahead of her.
In Quang Tri there are many more examples of people striving to rise above disability and live and become useful people, but their road is truly very arduous without effective assistance.
Sharing the pain
Also a mine victim, Mr Do Thien Dang (54, living in Bich Khe hamlet, Trieu Long commune, Trieu Phong district) lost both legs when a bomb exploded. His life seemed to have come to an end, but then it was suddenly lit up. In 2003, Mr Dang was introduced by the Trieu Long Commune Farmers' Association to take part in the RENEW Project's mine victim support programme called “Mission of Mushrooms”. The project supported Mr Dang with initial capital of 30 million VND to build a mushroom-growing model at his home. At the same time, the project also supported raw materials, built a steaming kiln and bought the produce. With the dedicated guidance of the Trieu Long Commune Farmers' Association staff on mushroom-growing techniques, Mr Dang focused on growing wood ear mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, and now earns more than 10 million VND each harvest. Thanks to mushroom growing, Mr Dang has money to raise his two children to complete their education.
“Back then, we saw American planes spraying something white and red, and immediately the trees wilted and the forests burned, but no one knew what it was. Whenever we saw planes or the enemy, we just picked up our guns and shot. Now our children have been exposed to Agent Orange, and I only hope there will be a policy to support them after we, their carers, are gone. There is no such policy yet, and we cannot die in peace.”
“Mission of Mushrooms” is a cooperation programme between the RENEW Project and the Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI), with the participation of the US Department of State, the Embassy of Japan, Australian veterans… To date, the project has disbursed more than USD 1 million to help mine victims and people with disabilities. As many as 193 households have benefited from this mushroom-growing project.
For Agent Orange victims, Mr Le Van Dang, Chairman of the Quang Tri Provincial Association of Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims, said the province has 2,266 victims in need of functional rehabilitation and vocational training. The unit is therefore urgently building a semi-residential care, functional rehabilitation and vocational training centre for Agent Orange/dioxin victims in the province, to help them find work, overcome difficulties, support themselves and contribute to society. “The whole province has 8,208 households with people exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin, with 15,845 victims, including 4,965 households with two or more victims. Of the more than 15,000 victims, fewer than 3,000 people who took part in the resistance are entitled to Agent Orange victim benefits; the rest only receive a very small monthly social protection allowance, like other people with disabilities or illnesses, which does not cover a minimum living. Their lives are therefore facing countless difficulties. They badly need society to join hands and help” – Mr Dang said urgently.
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