Thien Nhan’s “Drawing a fairy tale” program
(VOVWORLD) - In 2006 newborn Thien Nhan was abandoned by his teenage mother in a deserted park in Quang Nam province for three days. The baby’s right leg and genitals were taken by wild animals. Tran Mai Anh, a young mother of two living in Hanoi, adopted him when he was two years old. She took him to many doctors in Vietnam and abroad for reconstructive surgery. Later a fund called the Thien Nhan and Friends Fund was set up to support disadvantaged and disabled children. Last year the Fund, in collaboration with the Kim Dong Publishing House, created a competition called “Drawing a fairy tale”. This event was so successful that it has been repeated this year throughout Vietnam.
This year’s “Drawing a fairy tale” competition took place in Hanoi in June and in Ho Chi Minh City last week. More than 100 of the wonderful paintings submitted to the competition were auctioned last weekend at the Kim Dong Publishing House in Ho Chi Minh City.
 Participants in the program "Drawing fairy tales" - (Photo: VOV5) |
This drawing of a cat was bought by Tran Duy Cuong from Hanoi. Cuong said: “I bought this painting because I really like it. It is very artistic. I also want to help disadvantaged and disabled children.”
Nguyen Anh Duy, a 6th grader from Alpha school in Cau Giay dictrict, Hanoi, flew to Ho Chi Minh city to sell his drawing of a cherry flower. Duy entered the competition on the very first day. He said: “The cherry flower is very beautiful with its reddish color. It’s my favorite painting. I think this painting is very suitable for this auction. I hope it will be bought for more than the auction price in Hanoi of 5 million VND. The money will be donated to disadvantaged children.”
 This year, the sale has yielded more than 78 million VND (Photo: VOV5) |
The touching story of brave little Thien Nhan and Mai Anh, his adopted mother, and their efforts to help other disadvantaged children has touched many hearts. Mrs. Luong Kim Lien, who attended the auction, said: “I love and admire Thien Nhan and his mother. That’s why I’m here today at the auction. I bought a painting of a boy sitting in the middle of a fairy land. The painting with no name of a fairy land sky impressed me at first glance. The colors are cinematic. I hope my small contribution will help some disadvantaged and disabled children.”
Mrs. Tran Mai Anh, Thien Nhan’s adopted mother, who manages the Thien Nhan and Friends Fund program, was at the auction. Mai Anh said that the “Drawing a fairy tale” competition is more than a charity program in which children help other children. The children plant seeds of generosity and compassion in society. Anh said: “The “Drawing a fairy tale” program was the idea of artists from the Kim Dong Publishing House and the Thien Nhan and Friends Fund. We encourage children to create paintings that can be sold to support children who need reconstructive surgery like Thien Nhan. This is a very meaningful program which encourages children to help others.”
Over the last six years, Tran Mai Anh and the Thien Nhan and Friends Fund has coordinated with several hospitals in Vietnam to invite doctors from Italy and the US to come to Vietnam and perform free operations for more than 800 handicapped children. Money raised by the “Drawing a Fairy Tale” auction will pay for medical examinations and treatment for 250 children by the end of the year. In 2016 the Thien Nhan and Friends Fund raised 60 million VND. Artist Do Huong, one of the founders of the “Drawing a Fairy Tale” program, said: “Even more meaningful than the money these children raise by selling their paintings is their good will and the childhood memories they are creating of what they have been able to do to help others. The children are providing needed reconstructive surgery which can change another child’s life forever.”
The “Drawing a fairy tale” program makes children realize that miracles don’t happen only in fairy tales. Miracles can happen in real life and they can be the ones who make other children’s dreams come true.
Thu Hoa