At a recent meeting in Hanoi discussing the BUILD project funded by Irish Aid this thought went through my mind. Quick bit of background about the project, BUILD is being developed by IDEA and VSO. It’s main focus is to provide skills training and mentoring to enable disabled people find employment. It also aims to provide capacity building to Disabled People Organisations.

It was an interesting bunch of people comprising of VSO volunteers, service providers and DPOs. A true mix of disabilities as well with blind participants sitting next to mobility impaired people in wheel chairs or those who make  use of other implements to keep themselves mobile.

As with these types of meetings we were split into groups and our group had two blind members as well as two wheelchair users. It was astonishing how well everybody participated and had intelligent observations to share. For able bodied people such as myself I am always full of wonder and amazement that people with disabilities such as blindness can deliver.

That doesn’t mean that I think they are intellectually disabled. It’s just that the world hardly accommodates them and makes learning anything but easy for them, especially in Vietnam.

Mr. Pham Gia Lộc presenting.

But it was another group member Mr. Pham Gia Lộc the President of the Thai Nguyen DPO who really made me think of the strength of the human spirit.

Mr Lộc has crippled legs from the top of the legs downwards could be because of Polio or Agent Orange.  He moves around using two wooden blocks, similar in style to the old clothes irons that our grandparents used. The two blocks protect his hands from harm. His legs are tucked up so that they don’t impede his progress.

He uses a bright red three wheel motorbike for his mobility outside. It has been modified with his needs in mind. In other words, although he has no usable legs, this man gets around confidently and with ease.

To top off my amazement he also had no problem with presenting a section of the group’s findings to all at the meeting speaking with confidence, charm and authority.

He’s invited me to a visit to his district and has promised me a tour of the area sitting on his natty red three-wheeler. This is one trip I’m not going to miss. Thank you Mr Lộc for showing me again how amazing the human spirit is.

We need more stories about the many Mr Lộcs in this world. We need them on the front pages of newspapers and in the headlines of TV news. Regrettably stories about disabled  people don’t seem to be worth sharing.  News coverage of achievements are only shown on some remote public interest channel as fillers.

Got nothing else to show? Let’s throw in some stuff about disabled people. It will make us look like we care seems to be the thinking by news editors. And the idea that it’s a minority group doesn’t cut it either. 19.7% of USA citizens have a disability.  One person in five.

People like Mr Lộc are heroes. And we need to hear about heroes. The news is full of stories about corrupt politicians, thieving business men and women, indecent salary packages earned by the top echelon and so much more along the same lines.

Let’s have some news about the true heroes amongst us. Those that show that the human spirit can overcome huge adversity and still shine. Check this video on YouTube to see Mr Lộc’s mobility and his tongue in cheek dance for the camera.  Taken and posted to YouTube by Peter de Vries, VSO volunteer in Hanoi, also working in disability.

During the Vietnam War, also called the American War if you are Vietnamese, one of the weapons of mass destruction was the dumping of herbicide across large areas of Vietnam.

This herbicide, deriving its name from the orange markings on the drums the chemical was shipped in, was sprayed in an effort to defoliate the landscape so that the American Forces and its allies could more easily spot the enemy.

In an effort to deny culpability, the US Government has denied that there is any internationally-accepted scientific evidence linking Agent Orange to birth defect and other illnesses.

Mai coping with one arm only!

So it is only coincidence  then that there are so many children born with disabilities in areas where this poison was either stored by the US military or sprayed on by military airplanes. Or so it seems.

Regrettably children born with birth defects and other illnesses such as cancer are still numerous even though the war ended in 1975. The reason for this is that it is almost impossible to get rid of this poison. No anti-agent has been developed as yet and it seems the only recourse is to collect toxic soil and try and bury it somewhere safely away from human contact. And that’s at huge costs as one can imagine.

Mai using her foot to work her handicraft magic.

Hold the Future serves many young people affected by Agent Orange. Birth defects are the predominant visual reminder of this poison. Some of Agent Orange’s other defects in people are intellectual disability and diseases such as cancer.

Vietnam commemorates the second anniversary of the Agent Orange Awareness Campaign Day on August 10, 2010.

Lots of talk is happening as to what will or should be done to help people suffering from the consequences of this war time poison. Regrettably so far it’s mostly talk. For the Mai’s of this world, only a Centre such as Hold the Future provides a solution for a self-sufficient life providing her with vocational training and handicraft production opportunity.