Disabled youth in Nghe An enthusiastically repairs old bicycles to give to poor students

Rise from adversity

Present at Thanh's house in Thanh Son hamlet, Dai Dong commune, when he was trying to repair an old bicycle to give to the children of the Association of PeopleblindThanh Chuong district, we really can't help but admire the work you are doing.

Thanh said he has been involved in charity work for many years, but has only started repairing old bicycles to give to poor students since Tet.

Mr. Tran Van Thanh - a disabled young man with a passion for volunteering. Photo: Huy Thu

Looking at the young man limping because of a withered leg and crooked fingers working hard, smiling and talking optimistically, few people know that Thanh had to try very hard to overcome adversity.

After finishing 9th grade, Thanh studied auto repair and went to work in Hai Phong. While working, due to carelessness, he was crushed by a hydraulic press and lost both thumbs (2009). After recovering, he went back to Hanoi to work as a security guard for a construction company. In 2014, a driver in the company's "intentional injury" case forced him to go to work.limplifelong.

That night, during his shift of guarding and receiving goods, he was intentionally hit by a driver, causing a broken leg. During the days lying in bed, he suffered, both physically and mentally. There were times when Thanh fell into pessimism, depression, and thought of death.

After two accidents, Thanh was disabled in both arms and legs. Photo: Huy Thu

“At that time, I bought a bottle of pesticide to put on my bedside table. Many nights I couldn’t sleep because I had to struggle with my thoughts between life and death. I really wanted to die to end this life forever, but thinking about my parents who raised me and haven’t been able to repay me, if I died I would only cause more suffering for my family, so I gave up on dying, to live to rise up” - Thanh shared.

From a normal young man, after two accidents, he became disabled.disabilityboth hands and feet. His dream of working far away to earn a lot of money to help his family was interrupted. After his leg wound healed and he could walk again, Thanh quickly worked as a bicycle repairman at home, then went to Hai Phong to work as a street vendor, selling vegetables and fruits... to make a living.

Working in Hai Phong helped him make new friends and gain new experiences. A trip to the mountains to give gifts to poor children in Ha Giang (2017), witnessing the poor life of the highland people, made him stick with volunteer activities.

Thanh's deformed right foot. Photo: Huy Thu

In Hai Phong, he joined the “Hai Phong Aspiration to Live” club, enthusiastically participating in community activities such as visiting and giving gifts to families in difficult circumstances, lonely elderly people, poor students, etc. “During my time working in Hai Phong, I did not earn much money to send back to help my family, but mainly focused on volunteer programs, going to remote areas. Many times when I did not have any money, I also borrowed money from friends to participate” – Thanh said.

Repair and donate old bicycles, establish charity clubs

With the wish of "giving is forever", "helping others as helping yourself", Thanh has been very enthusiastic in charity activities in Hai Phong and his hometown. For the past three years, since the Lunar New Year 2019, every time he returns home for Tet, Thanh has called for, mobilized donations, and organized gift giving programs for people.disability, some families have particularly difficult circumstances.

Thanh is repairing an old bicycle at home. Photo: Huy Thu

Each program is carefully prepared by Thanh, connecting with local departments, branches, and organizations and directly giving gifts to households. According to Thanh, "Doing so helps to encourage them to have more motivation to improve their lives."

Since returning to his hometown before Tet, Thanh has collaborated with Dinh Huu Tue, a local resident, to repair old bicycles to give to poor students. With his old skills in hand and being a “professional worker”, he can do all the assembly, repair, and replacement of spare parts, turning old bicycles into neat ones so that students can go to school.

In the past, Thanh has been calling for and donating funds to buy spare parts and repairing bicycles. He has been working both at Mr. Tue's mechanical workshop and at his own home. Seeing Thanh's meaningful work, some benefactors, brothers and friends have responded and encouraged him.

With his existing bicycle repair skills, Thanh has transformed old bicycles into bicycles that students can use to go to school. Photo: Huy Thu

In mid-March, Thanh completed repairing 5 bicycles for the volunteer group to give to poor students in Thanh Xuan commune. He is currently repairing 2 other bicycles to give to children of the Association for the Blind in Thanh Chuong district.

Mr. Dinh Huu Tue said: “Before returning home for Tet, Thanh sent me money to buy an old bicycle to repair and give to poor students. That day, I drove to Thanh’s house to visit, and seeing that his family was in difficult circumstances, I only accepted a portion. Now that Thanh has returned to his hometown to participate in volunteer bicycle repair, I truly admire his will, determination, and heart.”

Thanh (far right) during the donation of old bicycles to poor students. Photo: Huy Thu

Help someone while you still can.

Not stopping there, Thanh also established the “Aspiration to Live” Club, hoping to gather people with disabilities and handicaps who have similar situations in the district to exchange, learn, and help each other. Especially those who have the same aspirations towards difficult situations in society.

Thanh created the “Thirst for Life” Club group on Facebook to connect members and post messages calling for help for people in difficult circumstances. “When I created this club, I had no other wish than to connect with people, to help and share more situations,” Thanh said.

Thanh gives the money he donated to help a family in need to the Secretary of the Thanh Xuan Commune Youth Union (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Huy Thu

As the third child in a family of 4 siblings, Thanh's father used to have a mental illness, his mother - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tu (62 years old) is currently suffering from many diseases such as diabetes, kidney stones, stomach pain... and is being treated at the District General Hospital. Thanh takes care of all the family chores, from housework to going to the hospital to take care of his mother.

However, he is still enthusiastic about his volunteer work. Thanh said he will no longer go to Hai Phong to sell vegetables and fruits, but will stay home to sell sugarcane juice to make a living, so that he can have time to help his parents and organize more volunteer programs in his hometown.

Thanh gives gifts to disadvantaged families in the district. Photo: Huy Thu

For disabled young man Tran Van Thanh, volunteering is a part of life. He said that if in the past he only wished to go far away to earn money, now he only wishes to be healthy to do volunteering. “I do not regret spending time, effort, or money, as long as I can help people. I think doing volunteering comes from the heart, I will help whoever I can while I still can” – Thanh shared.

Good news spreads far and wide, the good deeds of “Thanh limp” have been recognized by the local people. Mr. Phan Van Hau - Head of Thanh Son village, Dai Dong commune said: Mr. Tran Van Thanh is disabled, but with his kind heart, he has overcome adversity, organized meaningful charity programs, making people in and outside the commune admire. If there is the cooperation, contribution and companionship of many people, Thanh's charity program will certainly spread further.

Huy Thu