HÀ NAM Nguyễn Văn Hiền was left without the use of one of his legs after suffering a serious illness at the age of four.

Despite the challenges, Hiền has managed to raise a family and earn a stable income in Chính Lý Commune, Lý Nhân District, Hà Nam Province.

Hiền's mother said during her son's illness, she and her husband tried to borrow money from neighbours and relatives for treatment, but despite numerous trips to the hospital, the child's left leg did not recover.

Hiền's mother also recalled that "throughout his childhood, he always felt inferior to friends the same age."

However, Hiền, being the oldest in a family of five children, wanted to share the housework with his hard-working parents.

Due to difficult family circumstances, Hiền had to drop out of school and stay at home to help out.

Hiền relied on crutches to move, but quickly learned how to feed pigs and chickens at home.

The small farm provided the family with a modest yet stable income, helping them to improve their lives.

At the age of 25, Hiền married a local girl who sympathised with his situation. They later became parents to three daughters.

When his mother fell seriously ill and passed away, and a year later his father also died of illness, Hiền had to take care of his younger brothers.

To pay for the day-to-day upkeep of the house, as well as his brothers' and daughters' education Hiền and his wife took out bank loans to invest in more livestock.

On average, each year his family raised and sold 25 sows, 100 pigs, and 200-300 hens, earning profit of about VNĐ200 million.

Last year, Hiền's eldest daughter was admitted to Hà Nội National University of Education.

Nguyễn Hồng Quân, Chairman of the Association of People with Disabilities in Lý Nhân District, said that not only helping his family earn an income, Hiền also worked for the association.

“He is trusted and loved by many people and often gives advice on farming techniques,” Quân said.

“Hiền’s will to live and his determination to overcome difficulties is a shining example for people with disabilities to study and follow.”

Trần Quang Dũng, Chairman of the Association of People with Disabilities in Hà Nam Province, said that the provincial association has more than 1,400 members.

With the help of local authorities, and their own efforts, many people with disabilities have managed to develop skills and earn an income for their families.

However, the majority of people with disabilities in Hà Nam still faced many difficulties.

“In the future, the association will study the members' needs for vocational training, loans and jobs to draw up plans to better help them,” Dũng said.

"The association will coordinate with relevant agencies to call for social organisations, businesses and benefactors to support people with disabilities."

Trịnh Tiến Toàn, from Thanh Hương Commune, Thanh Liêm District, was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate.

Realising that the land near his house was suitable for rearing livestock, he leased nearly 1.5 hectares of land to raise chickens and fish in 2019.

To raise livestock efficiently and sustainably, Toàn coordinated with Japfa Vietnam Company to develop poultry herds.

He said his farm sells 120,000 hens per year, excluding expenses, it also earned more than VNĐ300 million in profit per year.

His farm also created regular jobs for five local workers with an income of VNĐ6 million/person/month.

Toàn said to succeed in life, “disabled people have to make 10 times more effort.”

“The most important thing is to overcome self-doubt and inferiority, rise to self-affirmation and live a useful life for your family and society.” VNS