Supporting the picnic of 70 friends

On Saturday (10/16/2011), Dam Long ecological resort became animated, crowed due to the attendances of 70 people, including members of Hanoi Independent Living Centre, their relatives and personal assistants (PAs).

Cả đoàn 70 anh chị em tham gia chuyến đi

To have the success in this picnic, the management board of Welfare Foundation of People With Disabilities received support from Hanoi Independent Living Centre, policy support from Hanoi People With Disabilities Association, fervors help from members (especially members living and studying in Hanoi), and young personal assistants.

Dam Long ecological resort is located in Bang Ta - Son Tay, 70km from Hanoi to the West. In the conditions of long distance in only one day picnic, raining and cold weather, but with the help of PAs, we were not discouraged. The smiles were always on our faces. It expressed the energy, determination, bravery and strong love to the life of the people with disabilities, always using their wheelchairs. Particularly, there is a man with severe disabilities, in half standing half lying position with specially designed wheelchair. However, he still continued without boredom. Therefore, everyone raised the slogan: “Hanoi Independent Living Centre promotes the the right independent living of people with disabilities”.

The appearance of people with many wheelchairs attracted the attention of tourists and local people in the resort. The attendances of people with severe disabilities who has independent life with the help of social community that impressed to young people. It’s clearer when young sellers introduced local produces with their smiles. Moreover, old people showed their deep compassion and empathy, said: “ Are you brought up by government”, “ is this your brother”. An old person wanted to present her pin-wheels to all members. However, one member explained to her for payment. Because, the people with disabilities do not abuse others’s kindness.

Despite of the bad weather, we all felt excited. It’s excellent when we were in determined, united atmosphere together. With the wish for changes people’s attitude to the disabled, all members always strengthen the consolidation, widen the knowledge, and contribute to improve social community awareness of people with severe disabilities, travel and entertainment need.

Regarding to the picnic, a woman said: “ for people, living in city with high buildings around, daily noisy, smoke, dust, as well as me, always in house with 4 walls, it’s very fresh and excited when we stand in nature, green trees and fresh air…”.

Because of many wrong attitudes to people with disabilities, they have had to accept to stay at home all days. For women, they rarely go around their places. For those women, travelling for sightseeing was only in dream. With present financial ability, the fund of Welfare Foundation of People With Disabilities could support only the lunch payment in the picnic. It’s considered as small gift to people with disabilities who are having independent life. In particular, Ms Nguyen Thi Huyen, Mr Dinh Quoc Tuan (in Gia Lam) and their assistants were supported fully in the picnic.


We really want to hold more significant travel like this, not only to places around Hanoi, but also to further places (such as Ha Long Bay- world natural heritage). The fund wants to hold a visit to Ha Long Bay, making the people with severe disabilities’ dreams become true… it’s the dream of seeing directly Ha Long Bay, about what they have just heard on TV, newspapers. That will be the chance for people with severe disabilities integrating with community, being really Vietnamese and falling in home country nature as other people.

We hope the support from organizations companies, as well as individuals to make the people with severe disabilities’ dream become true.

Faithfully thanks to the kind hearts who supports for Welfare Foundation of People With Disabilities.

Nguyen Thanh Hoa was donated a wheelchair

Nguyen Thanh Hoa was donated a wheelchair by the Welfare Foundation of Persons with Disabilities funds on January, 3rd 2011.

Now, Hoa is living with her grandmother in Group 13, Vinh Ninh Hamlet, Vĩnh Quỳnh commune, Thanh Tri District, Hanoi. She has a very pitiful life. So far her grandmother is the only her relative who has been taken care of her .

The happiness from giver to reciever.

Hoa shared: ”I was born in parents’ love like other children, but they left me when they knew I was inborn handicapped. It is a disease which is called brain palsy. After that, my mother neglected me and divorced my father. After divorce, my father got married again and ignored my grandmother and me . At that time, we lived under the support of two my kind aunts.”

Hoa is always very happy everytime guests visit her. However; the sadness in her deep eyes can be seen because lack of her parents ‘love. She really wants to go to school, but it seems to be an impossible mission. Now she is illegible. Hoa was very moved when the wheelchair was given to her and Hoa do hope that with the new friend - the wheel chair she can get on well with everyone and improve her living skills as well.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, we would like to wish Hoa a good luck and good health. We do hope that you will be more confident to over come all the difficulties and live indenpendently.

On occasion of new Spring festival, 2011, we wish Nguyễn Thanh Hoa has a lot of lucky and to be stronger in the life. Wish you are more confident in the future and overcome the difficulties to get a new independent life like other as well.

Report by Nguyễn Sâm