Hands that "bloom"

(Baonghean) - They may not be fortunate enough to have healthy hands or bright eyes… but on those seemingly clumsy hands, countless flowers bloom… Hidden behind this is a message about love of life, strong will to live, and the determination to overcome oneself of those less fortunate...

Admiring the silk flower arrangements elegantly displayed on the platform of Hung Chinh Commune Hall (Vinh City), I was surprised to find that they were works of art created by people with disabilities. Curious and admiring, I traced the origins of these delicately beautiful silk flowers… The small house of Phan Thi Huyen (Hamlet 2) is filled with flowers. The meticulously crafted silk orchids, lilies, and roses, created by the skillful hands of this disabled girl, leave everyone in awe. Huyen is the second child in a family of two siblings. Unfortunately, she has a mobility disability, poor health, and difficulty walking. Therefore, her dream of going to school had to be put on hold. Two years ago, a silk flower making vocational training class opened in the commune, giving her the opportunity to work in a field suitable for her health. Even happier, these small, beautiful flowers have brought Huyen a new world, a world of vibrant colors. Since discovering silk flower making, each day has been a new joy for Huyen. Day after day, she meticulously cuts and trims the flower petals… freely expressing her creative ideas and color combinations for the flower arrangements. Each small, beautiful flower arrangement is a work of art woven from passion and love for her craft.

The first time Huyen finished making a silk flower arrangement, she burst into tears upon seeing her own creation. It was the first time she deeply understood the meaning of the word "labor." And through that work, she had the opportunity to interact more with people; to earn a small amount of money to help her parents, and to feel that she wasn't a "burden" or an "extra." "Since learning to make silk flowers, I feel my life has more meaning. Before, because of my poor health, I couldn't help my parents, but now I can contribute my small labor to create products to sell." The disabled girl has become more confident and joyful with her work making silk flowers, and each day she sends her dreams through each petal…

Due to exposure to Agent Orange, Phan Thi Yen (from Hamlet 2) has suffered from facial disfigurement, poor eyesight, and weak health since birth, preventing her from doing heavy work. She married a man who shares her plight. In their small house, built last year with government assistance, the couple relies on each other, caring for each other and nurturing their home. The most miraculous thing for their family is that their son is not affected by Agent Orange; he is healthy, well-behaved, and diligent. However, the entire family relies solely on a monthly government allowance of just over 1,000,000 VND. How to provide their son with a comfortable life and ensure he can attend school like his peers remains a major concern for this disabled mother.

Thanks to learning the craft of making silk flowers for people with disabilities, she independently selected materials from Vinh market and diligently worked on her creations. For people with disabilities like Ms. Yen, their eyesight and hands are not as agile and quick as those of able-bodied people. Therefore, creating a product requires a great deal of effort. Completing a flower arrangement involves many steps; although it doesn't require much physical strength, it demands meticulousness and skill. On days when she's particularly inspired by an idea, she works tirelessly all day to complete a silk flower arrangement. It takes her more than two days to finish one arrangement, and the materials are quite expensive. The profit margin isn't high, so she hopes to have more customers so she can create more products and increase her family's income. However, the products made by people with disabilities are still not widely known. Each month, she only sells a few silk flower arrangements (each priced from 100,000 to 500,000 VND).

Ms. Phan Thi Yen (Hamlet 2, Hung Chinh) makes silk flowers.

The silk flower-making group for people with disabilities in Hung Chinh commune was formed in early 2013, bringing together 10 disadvantaged individuals, each with their own unique circumstances. After receiving short-term vocational training, the group has acquired proficient skills and successfully developed their craft. Currently, their products are used to decorate the desks of the Party Committee and People's Committee of the commune, village cultural centers, and many households in the commune. While there is joy in the fact that people with disabilities have a profession to become more self-reliant in life, there are still concerns. “Although the women's association has made efforts to coordinate with organizations to find markets for the products, the difficulty lies in the fact that the products are quite expensive; they are only suitable for customers with a relatively high income, so in the countryside, there aren't many consistent customers. We hope to find a market for these products, creating stable employment opportunities for people with disabilities,” shared Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, President of the Women's Association of Hung Chinh commune.

The colorful flowers, a testament to the indomitable spirit and striving of people with disabilities, inevitably prompt reflection. Because people with disabilities live in rural areas with limited resources, they face numerous difficulties in transportation and communication with the community. Therefore, they desperately need more support from society to create more opportunities for them to work and integrate into society.

Dinh Nguyet