For nearly 20 years, despite not having fully functional legs and having to lwalk with crutches, Ms. Tran Thi Thuan (born in 1983, Soc Son, Hanoi) has always strived and aspired to contribute, not only to her own development but also to creating job opportunities for many disabled people. Her journey of overcoming her destiny is told in Love Station with the theme “The Trial of Success”.
From the moment she walked onto the set of Love Station with her smile, sparkling eyes, lovely face, and charming voice - Ms. Tran Thi Thuan sees herself as a happy woman. Despite life's many challenges, she remains optimistic and always greets them with a smile.
Born with full functionality like any other child, a turning point occurred when she was 10 months old. "According to what people say, I became paralyzed in my left leg at the age of 10 months old after a high fever”. Coming from a poor family and being physically disabled, Ms. Thuan often felt insecure due to teasing from her peers.
When it was time to go to school, young Thuan, eager to learn, followed her older sister, travelled a long way and sat outside the classroom listening to the teacher's lectures. Recognizing Thuan's eagerness to learn, the teacher visited her family to encourage them to send their daughter to school. With a strong spirit of determination and eagerness to learn, Thuan achieved high academic results almost every year. However, when she reached high school, for various reasons, Tran Thi Thuan had to stop her education, leaving her dreams unfulfilled.
After marrying and having two beautiful children, her misfortune seemed to escalate. A series of setbacks struck her family - financial decline, marital discord, and then the unfortunate motorcycle accident that left her left leg severely injured, with 12 nails still embedded in it. With fragile health, two young children, and the abandonment of her husband, Tran Thi Thuan faced rejection after rejection when seeking employment. To support her family, she resorted to selling brooms door-to-door.
There were moments of despair when she wanted to give it all up, but her two young children became her anchor, helping her overcome every adversity to live a meaningful life. In 2019, noticing many abandoned fields in the local area, Thuan talked to some disabled individuals in the commune and leased the land to cultivate medicinal plants such as jasmine, pennywort, betel leaf, Morinda officinalis, Cac lozenge, ginseng, and Gastrodia elata... Initially making tea for her family, whichwas praised for its taste, she conceived the idea of producing clean, safe products to enhance health. Thinking and doing, she and six other members established the Tam Ngoc Cooperativeand produced their first products.
But the joy was short-lived, and the challenge of marketing the products once again tested Thuan's resilience. For the first two years, the products didn't sell and had to be given away or discarded. Many items became moldy and spoiled, wasting countless hours of effort. Undeterred, Thuan and some members visited traditional medicine clinics, tea companies, and beverage distributors to introduce their products. The presence of Nguyen Bao Ngoc - who has been with Thuan since the early days of establishing the Tam Ngoc Cooperative - opened up many stories of determination and resilience of director Tran Thi Thuan. Step by step, through relentless efforts, consumers gradually became acquainted with the cooperative's products such as Ivy tea, Lotus tea, and Chrysanthemum tea…
To this day, Thuan has not only built a strong cooperative but has also created jobs for many disabled individuals. From wandering to make a living, she has become a pillar not only for herself but also for many unfortunate lives. Her greatest wish is for more people to know about their products, so that not only can customers improve their health but also help many disabled people find employment and increase their income to support themselves and their families. The gift from Love Station will provide additional strength for Thuan to spread her humanitarian dream.
What has made Tran Thi Thuan unafraid to face challenges in life and overcome its trials? What secret has helped her remain steadfast and confident in the face of adversity?
All these questions will be answered in the "Trial of Success" episode of Love Station airing at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 16, 2024, on VTV1 channel.
