In July of 2011, 3 Viet Fellows were assigned to volunteer at Thi Nghe Orphanage to fulfill a two-week service-learning component of our educational tour in Viet Nam. During our time we were able to learn from the members of the Thi Nghe community. Through this video we hope to highlight the stories of three people who deepened our understanding and inspired us: Sang, Chị Lan, and Ngọc Thúy.

These three stories are only a part of a larger narrative of Vietnamese people impacted by disabilities deserving better resources and opportunities.  Currently, 7% of Vietnam’s population lives with disabilities with 87% living in rural areas.¹  Because of the constrained situations of those living with disabilities, the reality is that many families rely on organizations such as Thi Nghe for help.

Authors:

Lan Ngo is an undergraduate in California studying Environmental Science and Southeast Asian Studies. Contact: lanngo at berkeley.edu

MK Nguyen has worked as a community organizer for equitable education in San Francisco. She will be working with the Vietnamese American community in New Orleans, Louisana. Contact: mklnguyen at gmail.com

Susan Nguyen currently works around issues of urban planning and transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area. Contact: shnguyen87 at gmail.com