The extraordinary resilience of Do Ha Cu: From a small bed to a mission to spread the culture of reading.
Born with a mobility disability, Mr. Do Ha Cu overcame adversity to master technology and establish a network of free libraries directly managed by people with disabilities.
The "Station of Love" program, which aired on January 24th, featured the inspiring journey of Mr. Do Ha Cu, a man with a congenital mobility disability caused by the effects of Agent Orange. Despite being confined to bed and having difficulty communicating, he has transformed books and technology into a bridge to change his life and the lives of his community.
The journey of conquering knowledge in adversity.
Do Ha Cu was born with complete paralysis, a consequence of his father's years fighting on the battlefield in Quang Tri. From childhood to adulthood, all his activities depended entirely on his family. Learning to read and write was a seemingly impossible challenge for him, as he couldn't hold a pen or speak clearly. He began by "learning by memory," piecing together rhymes from memorized poems to gradually recognize letters.
Once he learned to read and write, Ha Cu's world was no longer confined within four walls. He turned to computers as a tool to connect with society. However, controlling a mouse or keyboard in the usual way was impossible for his deformed hands. In the program, viewers witnessed how he communicated through slow but patient typing on the screen.
Technological solutions and the creation of the Hope Reading Space.
To overcome the physical barrier, Mr. Do Ha Cu sought assistance in designing a specialized system of equipment including a flying mouse and virtual keyboard connected to a large screen. This system allows him to write essays, compose poetry, and manage his work from his only lying position. It was from this personal experience that he realized the value of knowledge for the disadvantaged.
In 2018, the Hope Reading Space Club was officially established. This is a free library model with the unique feature that all the librarians are people with disabilities. The project's goal is not only to spread a reading culture but also to create an environment where people with similar circumstances feel they can still be useful to society.
Overcoming prejudice barriers to maintain the community model.
When it was first established, Mr. Cu faced considerable skepticism from his family and neighbors. Many believed that someone who couldn't even take care of himself would find it difficult to manage a community library. Initial difficulties such as limited space and managing readers' vehicles caused the project to falter.
To professionalize the process, he established specific rules and received support from a team of enthusiastic volunteers. Currently, the reading spaces have become well-organized with a self-directed process: readers come on their own, take notes, and arrange their books themselves. This trust-based management method has helped his model become increasingly sustainable and gain widespread support.
The story of Do Ha Cu at the Station of Love is clear evidence that human limitations only exist when we stop hoping and stop learning. Through the pages of books, he has opened the door to knowledge for himself and sown seeds of hope for many other people with disabilities.
