Kaleidoscope (27-05-2012)
by Van Dat
Twin gives back to society
Nguyen Duc, one of the Siamese twins who survived a historic operation in 1988, who received much support and love from the society, hopes to help disadvantaged youth through his new charity group.
Although his twin brother Nguyen Viet died in 2009, Duc still remains optimistic about life.
"I've had better luck than many other disabled people, who also need support," Duc says.
As part of his debt to society for his operation, which was performed for free, Duc regularly takes part in charitable events and charitable organisations in HCM City.
For a long time, he nurtured the dream of setting up his own charity group, and now that vision is reality.
The Duc Nihon organisation, which can be found on Facebook, was created to help orphans, the elderly, poor or disabled students, and those who may not be disadvantaged in the official sense but who may find themselves in difficult circumstances.
Duc wants to work with other charity and religious organisations as well as local and foreign individuals and organisations to conduct humanitarian activities in the city and the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.
He is currently preparing a video clip for charity purposes in District 7, to be released early next month. It will call for support from HCM City's youth.
Because he wants his project to be a surprise, Duc is withholding information on what it will be. But it promises to bring love and joy to the city's neglected youth.
Hip-hop dancer on crutches
Vo Tran Thanh's dance performance would make even professional hip-hop dancers stand up and pay respect.
Thanh, 23, whose legs were paralysed after a high fever when he was a child, recently performed during a concert gala at Ha Noi National University, where he stunned the audience with his ability.
An independent spirit, Thanh refuses to rely on others and doesn't want his life chained to his wheelchair.
Thanh says that every time he passed by the park and saw teenagers practicing hip-hop dances, he wanted to learn. So he memorised the dance moves.
In 2004, he finally began learning how to dance.
Luckily, his father was willing to support him after he recognised that his son loved learning how to hip-hop dance.
Despite unfriendly looks from passersby who saw him doing hip-hop on his crutches, Thanh was patient.
He trained himself using the crutches, and began selling lottery tickets to help support his family.
After two years of training, Nguyen Hoang Phuc, leader of the Sao Viet Dance Troupe, invited him to join his group.
Thanh is quite creative in his performances, making difficult moves that dancers with no physical disabilities admire.
The crutches, which are often seen as an obstacle, have actually become a good tool for him to enter the world of hip hop.
Sometimes, the crutches hit his legs when he dances, but Thanh insists that he wants to continue to improve and offer training to those who want to learn.
In 2008, he was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records Viet Nam for his ability. — VNS