(VOVworld)- “It’s reality even though you’re very sad about it. I’m an AO/dioxin victim. I’m disabled for life. But, I have to do my best to overcome it in a meaningful way”, a man named Nguyen Thanh Hoai said.
“My name is Nguyen Thanh Hoai. I’m a third generation victim of AO/Dioxin. I was teased by my friends when I was at school. I was very sad then. After graduation, I could not find a job because I’m disabled. But I never give up”.
Meeting Nguyen Thanh Hoai at the 3nd National Emulation Congress “For AO/Dioxin Victims” in Hanoi and talking with him, I really admired him, his strong will, and his optimism. Both his legs are disabled. Each step takes a lot of effort but his face always has a smile. He has never lamented his fate, even when his job application was refused. Hoai said: “I never give up. It’s my fate and I have to deal with it. It’s my reality whether I’m sad or not. I have to face it and overcome it. After looking for a job for several months, I managed to get one. I have been offered many other jobs since then. I’ve studied IT and have skills in PR”.
Hoai said he met his wife in the office where they were working together: “My wife is also an AO/dioxin victim. At that time, we were working at the Association of Agent Orange/dioxin victims. Later, she went to the US to do research. We talked with each other on the internet and I helped her with some documents. I was a Web manager. We’ve been in love with each other since then”.
Despite living far apart, through the internet they kept in touch, talking about work, about life, practicing English, sharing, and encouraging each other to overcome difficulties. Hoai said: “We kept in touch for four years. In 2010, she returned to Vietnam and we got married in 2012. We understand and get on well with each other. She studies abroad and I’m a social worker. We understand and share each other’s work”.
As Head of the Office of Soc Trang province’s Association of AO/Dioxin victims, Hoai understands and shares the pain of other AO victims. He says many victims suffer more than he does, physically, emotionally, and economically. Helping them motivates his work at the Association: “I try to raise money to help AO victims because they can do little. I’m also disabled and I want to help them”.
Hoai says he likes the saying that if you are sad, believe that tomorrow you will gain more than you lost today.
Lan Anh