Tuyen Quang renews the care for victims of Agent Orange (III): The desire to dedicate

He indomitable spirit of a soldier

Te war has ended for 46 years, but the pain of Agent Orange is still present in the lives and homes of several soldiers returning from the war. However, with their brains and strong will, these soldiers have promoted the qualities of Uncle Ho\'s soldiers, making every effort to overcome their pain, rise up in life, and continue to contribute to the society. They have become a shining example, a source of strength and faith for those in the same situation.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Sam, President of the Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, the association currently has more than 350 members who are very active in economic development, with many models such as: planting fruit trees, raising livestock, afforestation... Their incomes range from 100 million to 400 million dong/year. Many members actively learn science and technology, get rich, find new directions and help other members get out of poverty.

Mr. Ha Kim Lanh in Na La village, Xuan Quang commune (Chiem Hoa) raises breeding buffalo

We can mention the example of Mr. Ha Kim Lanh in Na La village, Xuan Quang commune, Chiem Hoa district. In 1968, he fought in Quang Tri battlefield. In 1975, after Ho Chi Minh campaign, he was demobilised and returned home. Despite many sufferings due to the effects of Agent Orange, such as poor health, the second daughter died young due to a serious illness, with the quality of an Uncle Ho\'s soldier, he has made great efforts to overcome difficulties, and became a shining example in economic development. Lanh shared that in 2000, he bravely developed the forest economy, so far his family has more than 10 hectares of acacia forest, which brought him three harvests of 400 to 600 million VND each. After getting capital, he continued to expand economic development by investing in 1,000 m2 of water surface for aquaculture, buying 2 breeding buffaloes and 10 goats. Up to now, his family\'s economy is relatively well off. He has become an example of good economic practices who is admired by many of his comrades.

Carrying many diseases due to the sequelae of Agent Orange/dioxin, but Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, President of Xuan Van Commune\'s Association for Victims of Agent Orange (Yen Son district) has made a lot of effort in life and become a bright example. After many years of hard work and commitment to the fields and gardens, his family\'s economy still faces many difficulties. In 2015, after researching and realizing that the local climate and soil are very suitable for growing Dien pomelo, Vinh decided to grow pomelo on his family hill. At first, he planted 130 pomelo trees. Thanks to his diligence and techniques, from the 130 pomelo trees originally, up to now, on an area of 2.3 hectares of hilly land, Vinh has grown about 600 pomelo trees of different types, such as: Soi Ha pomelo, green-skinned pomelo, Dien pomelo....with total harvest of 40,000 fruits/year, bringing him a revenue of up to 400 million VND/year.

Mr. Vinh always thinks that compared to his teammates who were infected with Agent Orange/dioxin, he was much luckier because his children and grandchildren did not suffer from the sequelae of the toxic chemicals. As the President of his commune association for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, Vinh has coordinated with mass organizations to implement poverty reduction measures; instructed members to change the structure of plants and animals, use preferential loans for economic development effectively.

Mr. Tran Van Binh, Soi Ha village said: “In the past, due to lack of production experience and capital, many times I failed in developing fruit trees. In 2017, with Vinh\'s advice on skills, experience, and seedlings, my family built a fruit tree model, including 400 pomelos, oranges and lemons. Now, my annual income has reached more than 150 million dong. In 2012, the Association had 5 poor households. Up to now, the whole commune no longer has poor Agent Orange households.

A teacher keeps clinging to the village

Mr. Nguyen Danh Gioi is the president of the Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin of Nong Tien Ward, Tuyen Quang City. In 1970, he volunteered to join the army, and was deployed to Company 16, Division 968, operating in battlefields B, C. In December 1976, he was wounded and transferred to work in the Ministry of Agriculture. Then, he was sent to study automobile repair in Nanjing city, China. When peace was restored, Gioi attached to the auto repair profession for more than half of his life. In 2009, when his illnesses recurred and his health deteriorated, his wife and children advised him to give up the work. Then he closed the auto workshop at group 10, Nong Tien ward with regret... But, being deeply imbued with Uncle Ho\'s saying that: \"Our wounded soldiers are crippled but not useless\", he planned to continue his dedication.

As his action follows his thought, in 2010, at the age of 57, he began to study at the Faculty of Vocational Education and Training, LILAMA-1 College, Ninh Binh. After graduation, he applied for teaching jobs at Tuyen Quang International Progressive Vocational School, Vocational Training Centers of Son Duong, Yen Son, Ham Yen, Na Hang and Tuyen Quang Technological Vocational Colleges. He said happily: \"For the past 10 years, everyone who knows me calls me “teacher”. The trips to remote villages to teach agricultural machine repair have brought me new joy...\"

In the autumn days of September 2020, leaners of the vocational class in village 7, Tan Tien commune, Yen Son district are able to meet the veteran teacher again. This is just one of many classes of teacher Gioi. The time at the village and with the rural laborers was full of difficulties as they lacked everything. Teaching was also a hard job because of learners’ un equal background, different ages and languages. Regardless of difficulties, he went to faraway places such as Con Lon, Hong Thai (Na Hang)... Along with that, he chose the simplest method to teach his learners.

Mr. Nguyen Van Truong, Tien Thang hamlet, Cap Tien commune (Son Duong) is one of the learners graduating from Gioi\'s class. “In 2018, I attended a class on agricultural machine held in my neighborhood. After 3 months receiving thoughtful and dedicated instruction, I asked for his phone number to exchange and learn more from his experience. Now, I am running a store that sells agricultural equipment and supplies. Sometimes when the machines have big troubles, I still ask him for help. Despite his oldage, he still enthusiastically comes to instruct and share valuable experiences to me. Thanks to this business, my family now has a stable income of 7 to 8 million VND/month”.

Now nearly 70 years old, his health declined with many diseases such as kidney failure, arthritis, blurred vision, but with the simple and industrious qualities of Uncle Ho\'s soldier, Mr. Gioi still lives and devotes enthusiastically. His enthusiasm not only left a deep impression on people in remote areas where he went, but was also admired by many fellow soldiers.

The 10/8 girl

Born on August 10, right on the day of the Agent Orange Disaster in Vietnam, Ms. Hoang Lan Huong, Group 3, Minh Xuan ward, Tuyen Quang city, took her nick name \"Huong Agent Orange\". For her, it is a way to face the difficulties of fate to rise up.

Hoang Lan Huong lives happily with her family.

Huong father’s, Mr. Hoang Chat Luong, was a soldier fighting in the southern battlefield, a wounded soldier who was infected with Agent Orange. Since her young age when she was born, her head was crooked and deformed, and her hands were paralyzed. When she grew up, her voice is hum, her body is soft, all her moves must depend on a wheelchair. Yet, her world is not limited within her house. For many years, she has worked hard to learn to write, read, surf the web, draw pictures, plant flowers, embroider, and knit. All are done by small, magical feet and a beautiful soul, full of desire and energy.

Mr. Luong recounted that: \"When she was 10 years old, my wife and I heard a voice calling from the bedroom. We walked in and saw Huong using her fingers (right foot) to write each name and age of each member of our family very clearly. The fact was that each time we taught our children with their lessons, Huong listened and then picked up chalk and pens to follow suit. Gradually, Huong was able to read, write, and do math fluently. Since then, Mr. Luong has spent all his allowance on buying books, newspapers, pen and paper for his daughter to study on the wheelchair.

So, as time went by, she tried to learn, study with her feet, to draw, knit, make scarves, hats, embroider many styles. Those things are difficult for ordinary people, and even much more difficult for her. She confided that, at times, she was so enthusiastic that her legs cramped, and her feet became more and more constricted and painful. Not to mention the days when the weather turned bad, the legs are numb, but she only rested for a while and then continued to practice. She just tried and motivated herself! And then her favorite works were finished that made her more passionate and enthusiastic. The most sizeable painting she made was more than 1 meter long and 80 cm wide. It has rivers, sails, waterfalls and mountains… which were all harmonious, lyrical and beautiful. The work is hung right in the living room. She also knows to draw picture, but her favorite is sketching portraits. She draws the faces of her father, mother, siblings and especially, she draws herself with much care and respect.

Her neighbors often joke that Huong is the IT savviest person in the village. 15 years ago, she was proficient in using computers, writing emails, surfing the web. Now, with a smartphone, she uses social networks like Facebook, Zalo, reads newspapers, etc., to update the news to share with other people. She watches instructional videos on trimming, embroidery, crocheting, etc. to learn and perfect her work.

Watching her Facebook, many people expressed their admiration at the pictures that she posted. Those are works of art made by her feet: embroidery pictures, paintings; nice little hat, sweater, and shoes; artistic flowers that are pruned from fruits and vegetables…

Especially, she often makes flowers, knit hats, scarves, etc., and then gives them to other people. In recent years, thanks to Facebook, she has connected with many volunteer groups and donated woolen hats to highland children. Ms. Vu Viet Lan, leader of the Hanoi - Saigon Volunteer Group, shared that in recent years, Huong often contacted us to send woolen hats to highland children in Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lang Son... Each time. Huong usually sends 30-40 woolen hats. These are special and meaningful gifts from a compassionate disabled girl. Initially, it took her 1 week to make each woolen hat initially. Now as her skills have been much improved, it takes her only 2 to 3 days.

Huong\'s soul is so rich and full of energy. At first, when I offered to write about her, she refused because she thought that there is not much to talk about. But when I explained that when readers read her story, not only disabled people but normal people will be inspired as well, she immediately agreed with the hope that her life story would make many people self-confident and make efforts, and improve their life better and better!

Those are the victims among thousands of AO victims in the province who have made great efforts to overcome the disease and rise up to integrate into the community. Each person has different ways to assert themselves, and make contribution to life because for them \"being born in life is already a gift\". Their willpower is so amazing and worth learning and following./.