Her first club named Doi Rat Dep (Life is Very Beautiful), was a simple,thatched-roof structure, where people with disabilities would sharejokes, sing and talk until the late hours.
It was set up on the grounds of the house where the NGO she founded, Disability Resources and Development, was located.
The patrons were young and old, rich and poor, artists and businesspeople.
But then rent skyrocketed and the NGO had to move to another location down the street.
Now,Vo Thi Hoang Yen, who gets around in a wheelchair, has bigger plans forthe city’s disabled: a cultural house where they can study, play gamesand feel at home.
So far, she has raised a grand total of 5 USD from aforeign man who noticed a friend of Yen’s editing a video about theproposed cultural house on her laptop in a coffee shop.
He walked over and asked her about the video and then left the note.
“It was a small amount, but it was meaningful to me. I’m happy for that,” Yen said.
Still,long journeys begin with small steps, and Yen believes she can raiseenough money from individuals, organisations and businesses to find aland plot and build a new house for the disabled community.
HCM Cityhas no such building for the disabled, who often feel uncomfortable andawkward at other cultural houses in the city, according to Yen.
“Theythink they are a burden to society,” she said, “It’s difficult for thedisabled to access the city’s cultural houses, so a new house for themwould help them integrate with the community.”
The cultural house would also offer health consultancies, job training and other services to people with disabilities.
Yen said that some businessmen who took part in a recent sing-along at her NGO have offered to help.
“ButI told them to wait until I finish building our website, and theneverybody can contribute,” she said, adding that the website would takedonations online and via mobile phones.
Since she founded her NGO five years ago, Yen has been actively campaigning for handicapped people’s benefits and rights.
“Theirliving conditions are not always the best, and in particular, they donot have easy access to buildings and public places,” Yen said “Foryears we’ve encouraged the disabled to integrate into society, but howis this possible when there are still so many barriers”.-VNA
It was set up on the grounds of the house where the NGO she founded, Disability Resources and Development, was located.
The patrons were young and old, rich and poor, artists and businesspeople.
But then rent skyrocketed and the NGO had to move to another location down the street.
Now,Vo Thi Hoang Yen, who gets around in a wheelchair, has bigger plans forthe city’s disabled: a cultural house where they can study, play gamesand feel at home.
So far, she has raised a grand total of 5 USD from aforeign man who noticed a friend of Yen’s editing a video about theproposed cultural house on her laptop in a coffee shop.
He walked over and asked her about the video and then left the note.
“It was a small amount, but it was meaningful to me. I’m happy for that,” Yen said.
Still,long journeys begin with small steps, and Yen believes she can raiseenough money from individuals, organisations and businesses to find aland plot and build a new house for the disabled community.
HCM Cityhas no such building for the disabled, who often feel uncomfortable andawkward at other cultural houses in the city, according to Yen.
“Theythink they are a burden to society,” she said, “It’s difficult for thedisabled to access the city’s cultural houses, so a new house for themwould help them integrate with the community.”
The cultural house would also offer health consultancies, job training and other services to people with disabilities.
Yen said that some businessmen who took part in a recent sing-along at her NGO have offered to help.
“ButI told them to wait until I finish building our website, and theneverybody can contribute,” she said, adding that the website would takedonations online and via mobile phones.
Since she founded her NGO five years ago, Yen has been actively campaigning for handicapped people’s benefits and rights.
“Theirliving conditions are not always the best, and in particular, they donot have easy access to buildings and public places,” Yen said “Foryears we’ve encouraged the disabled to integrate into society, but howis this possible when there are still so many barriers”.-VNA
