The fragile fate of a disabled woman
There was a woman silently bearing the burdens of illness and loneliness. Her life was devoid of family, her possessions were worthless, and she clung to the faint glimmer of hope with her meager strength.
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In the Quan Market neighborhood of Nghi Loc commune, people often talk about the impoverished woman Ha Thi Loan. She is a disabled widow, and locals affectionately call her "Mrs. Loan the hunchback." Twice a day, she regularly goes around the market area, scavenging for whatever she can find to make a living. At 60 years old, with no one to rely on, she still struggles to survive.
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Following Ms. Loan, the reporter from Nhip Cau Nhan Ai (Bridge of Compassion) visited her dwelling, a simple house in Hoa Tay hamlet, where even the entrance was covered in mud. For decades, this impoverished woman has lived like this.
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The only asset Mrs. Loan had accumulated was a small house littered with scrap materials inside and out. Since her husband's death and her only daughter's departure, she had to accept living this way. Her health and illnesses prevented her from doing any other work. Even the dilapidated house was beyond her means to repair.
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Sickness and disease tormented her body. But this poor woman knew nothing of hospitals. Loan's life drifted on like a candle in the wind. The people here could only pity the fate of a woman who had lived such a precarious existence for decades.
Each month, Mrs. Loan has two days where she can eat and sleep more comfortably. These are on the full moon or the last day of the lunar month, when she seeks refuge in Buddhism by sweeping and cleaning at a small temple in the commune. There, she receives kindness from the monks and Buddhist followers, who help with her meals. But as her health deteriorates, Mrs. Loan worries whether she will still have the strength to seek refuge in this compassionate place.
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All support and contributions can be sent to the following address:
Address: Ms. Ha Thi Loan, Hoa Tay Hamlet, Nghi Loc Commune, Nghe An Province. Recipient of support: Ms. Nguyen Thi Phiệt, Head of the Women's Association of Hoa Tay Hamlet; Number
Phone: 033.969.1177; Account number: 360.720.5525.014 - Nguyen Thi Phiệt
Vietnam Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (Agribank).
Reporter in charge of the program: Journalist Nguyen Ngoc Dung, phone number: 0913.064.060.
