For almost 20 years, despite being confined to a wheelchair, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh (born in 1978, Thai Nguyen) has never stopped on her journey to change the status of people with disabilities in society. In the face of many challenges in her own life, she has resolutely built the "ACDC Home" - a place to give faith and hope to people with disabilities in society.
This week's "Station of Love" begins with the emotional testimony of Mrs Nguyen Thi Mui, the mother of the main character Nguyen Thi Lan Anh. Since birth, Lan Anh has been suffering from severe brittle bone disease. Lan Anh's family is one of the poor households in the Song Cong, Thai Nguyen region. Despite selling everything to pay for their daughter’s treatment, Lan Anh's condition did not improve. Her childhood was marked by grief and a sense of inferiority, unable to attend school like her peers. Physical activities, including running and jumping, were forbidden because of the risk of bone fractures. Each bone fracture caused excruciating pain. It wasn't until the age of 9, when her peers were in grade 4, that Lan Anh was finally admitted to the grade 1.
Despite starting school later than her peers, Lan Anh excelled in her studies,: entering university in 1999 and graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Foreign Languages with honors. In 2010, she completed the Master of Business Administration program at the National University of Hanoi and recently received a Master's degree in Public Administration from Fulbright University Vietnam. For this woman, education is an ongoing pursuit: "For people with disabilities like us, difficulties only make us stronger”.
There are times when the slightest change in the weather causes Lan Anh's body to ache, as if every bone is breaking is breaking. However, she has never stopped studying or working. As a result, Lan Anh has not only earned many coveted degrees and secured employment but has also built a home for herself. The sweetest reward is her 15-year-old son. With her own happiness, she has never stopped thinking about how she can help the community of people with disabilities.
Having witnessed the many barriers people with disabilities face when applying for jobs, and understanding the difficulties encountered by people in similar situations, Lan Anh was determined to build a communal space to help individuals with disabilities overcome those challenges. In 2011, the "ACDC" - Community Development Action Center (ACDC), an organization with the mission"to "share hope and empower" the community of people with disabilities in Vietnam, was established. It is now called the Community Development Research Institute.
Through the Community Development Research Institute, Lan Anh has changed many people's perception and attitudes towards people with disabilities. What they need most is respect and inclusion. Although their bodies are not perfect, they can accomplish everything with ten or twenty times the effort of an average person. In addition, at her communal home, people with disabilities have the opportunity to receive free legal advice, training in life skills, and vocational training at her communal home. This helps them gain experience, confidence, and integration into the community.
The unexpected appearance of Mrs Tran Thi Minh - a companion from the early days, not only moved Lan Anh but also revealed many stories, difficulties, and relentless efforts of ACDC in its early days.
When asked about her dreams for the future, Lan Anh continued to share her aspirations for people with disabilities. She hopes that everyone can find their own value, have the opportunity to assert themselves, and discover opportunities in life that match their abilities. The "Station of Love" gift will, to some extent, give Lan Anh additional strength in her humanitarian journey.
The "Station of Love" program, themed "Letting the Cactus Bloom" will share many life experiences from the story of Lan Anhand, especially, opening up opportunities for people with disabilities from the story of Lan Anh. The program will be aired at 10:00 am on February 24, 2024, on VTV1 channel.
