Nguyen Van Vong suffered from polio when he was nine years old, leading to muscular deficiency and the inability to move. His father died when Vong was a little boy, so his mother was the only one taking care of him.

Fortunately, Vong's condition does not keep him from reaching for the stars. Thanks to his hard work and the charity of strangers, the lives of differently-abled people in Vietnam may become a little easier.

24 years of embracing insecurities

Due to poor health and financial hardships, it took Vong 16 years to finish K12 education. Many doubted he could go any further but that did not stop him. The young man went for Information Technology Faculty at Vinh University and his determination paid off.

Thanks to scholarships from the Saigon Times Foundation and Phu Nhuan Jewelry JSC, as well as his own determination and support from his mother, teachers and classmates, Vong earned his Bachelor's degree.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Vong worked as an administrator for a vegetarian cuisine Facebook fan page and then as an accountant. To make ends meet, his mother collected scrap and worked as part-time helper. The supportive mother never stopped believing in her son's capability to achieve greatness.

His doting mother took him to work on his wheelchair every day. Photo: VTV Vietnam

Still, securing a stable life in HCMC with his physical impairment keeps getting harder as he cannot find time to balance his work and his studying.

Vong also lost his job during the city lockdowns earlier this year, and so did his mother.

The two tried to look at the bright side but day by day they feel more suffocated in their tiny rental in District 3 (HCMC).

Covid-19 forced Vong's family out of their jobs. Now, they have to rely on support from charities. Photo: Minh Tuan

"Sometimes I feel stuck studying alone. I keep trying to self-study but I am anxious because I cannot seem to improve. I cannot afford paying rent and tutor fees at the same time."

Meanwhile, things don't look good for Vong on the health front either. He recently suffered from kidney stones but cannot afford the treatment fees.

Even the pandemic couldn't stop this impressive individual. Vong does not waste any time looking for new job opportunities and partners to help him with his English-speaking skills. From contacting the press to taking online courses on YouTube, Vong has set a goal for 2022.

Photo: Minh Tuan

“I am currently preparing to take the IELTS test. This is the first step to complete the application for the Australia Awards Scholarships. It requires 5.0 for IELTS with no skill under 4.5.”

Life Revolves Around Living, Not Around Disability

Vong's mother desires nothing more than for them to lead a normal life.

For Vong, he dreams to establish an IT company for people with disabilities , so that anyone can find suitable jobs despite their physical and mental conditions. This is his lifelong dream that motivated him to study day and night.

“Disabled people can contribute to the society in our own ways. I hope I can help people like me to lead a life they want."

Still, his declining health is a reality Vong cannot ignore. Since he has no income source besides charity at the moment, he needs your help!

“To realize my dream, improving English skills is so important. I contacted newspapers and the press everwhere to get the words out that I need financial and housing support. I hope to find a good-doer to help me study for IELTS test free of charge. My family can no longer afford rent so we are looking for a shelter for people with disabilities.”

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