Thứ Ba, 06/12/2011, 04:56 GMT+7
Helping children cope with disability
 | Learning to live with misfortune: Cao Thi Phu from central Kon Tum Province (centre) teaches "her" children how to weave brocade at the Cao Phu centre, which she established in October 2009. - VNS Photos Tran Hoai Nam
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 | Hands on: Phu and her husband. Since the establishment of the Cao Phu centre nearly two years ago, 15 disabled children have been trained in weaving. Of those, ten still live with the couple.
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Cao Thi Phu has spent much of her adult life helping disabled children make their way in life. She herself was a victim of Agent Orange, which she was exposed to during the American War. Tran Hoai Nam reports.
While the war between Viet Nam and America took place decades ago, its brutal aftermath remains severe as thousands of children continue to suffer the effects of Agent Orange.
In sympathy, 55-year-old Cao Thi Phu from central Kon Tum Province has lent her support to a multitude of these children over the past two years by providing them with food, jobs, a platform for their products and a chance to integrate into society.
From inside her house, which serves both her family and as a shelter for 15 disabled children, Phu reminisced about the ups and downs of her life. Through her stories, we witnessed the battlefields in the central province of Quang Tri as well as the moments of happiness experienced by the children whom she has managed to help.
In early 1971, when fighting was at its fiercest, and similar to countless other youths at the time, Phu joined a young volunteer group at age 15.
As the youngest among 46 volunteers, Phu was assigned to operations along the Truong Son Trail where she assisted in road clearance as well as transporting foodstuff, medicine, ammunitions and the injured. For nearly two years, serving as part of Battalion 12 in Regiment 559, Phu, together with her comrades, survived the constant rain of bombs and bullets to supply the liberation army at the Cam Lo battlefield.
"I can't believe we managed to get through it all. Severely wounded, I got transferred to the back line for treatment twice," she recalled.
At the end of 1972, having lived under threat of enemy fire and chemical weapons, Phu was taken to Nam Dan Hospital for additional treatment, around which time she was discovered to be suffering the effects of Agent Orange, which subsequently lead to her inability to have children.
Tempered by the severity of war, she returned home and resolutely dove into social work while also helping her mother raise her siblings.
In December 1979, thanks to her agility and sound medicinal knowledge, Phu was assigned to work as the warehouse keeper of a pharmaceutical enterprise in Gia Lai-Kon Tum Province. During 15 years spent at the company, she actively contributed to preservation and distribution and also enrolled in a course at the Intermediate Gia Lai Medical School.
Phu's life re-entangled with Agent Orange in 2001 when she became one of the first three people assigned to work at the local social welfare centre. At the time, Kon Tum had its fair share of children disabled via the impact of Agent Orange. Based on her own experiences and thanks to her support, children such as Y Nhung, Y Tram and Y B'lit have regained the use of their limbs following successful surgery and rehabilitation.
In order to provide the children with livelihoods, Phu established a class teaching them to make toothpicks at the end of 2006. The class has received increasing support from many charitable groups and individuals. Since its opening day, over 200,000 packs of toothpicks have been made and sold, generating a profit of around VND40 million (US$2,000) towards further development.
Despite the success of her efforts, Phu remained concerned about how "her" children would fare after leaving the centre and so finally decided to raise nine children herself while starting an additional class on brocade weaving.
The Cao Phu Centre was officially opened in October 2009, aimed at vocational training and charity. To date, 15 children have been enrolled at Phu's centre, ten of whom live in her house.
Born in 1991 in Kon Tum City, Y B'lit used to suffer from congenital malformation, which forced her to move around via her hands.
"In 2003, I was taken to mother Phu's centre, undergoing orthopaedic surgery a year later. Now I am able to move about on my own. Moreover, I have been taught to sew and weave and even earn money selling my products," she said.
At Phu's centre, besides sewing and weaving, Hoe has been assigned to observe the input and output of products.
"We use a book to keep track of all expenses. At the end of each month, we share profits equally. To date, each of us has saved more than VND1.3 million ($65)."
Over the past few years, having been awarded many certificates of merit for her charitable work, Phu derives her greatest joy from the affection of the children whose lives she has helped improve. - VNS
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