Rising above the pain of Agent Orange

Living with the devastating consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin, some victims can only crawl across the floor, while others spend their lives in wheelchairs. Many families devote their entire lives to caring for loved ones affected by the toxic chemical.

Nguyen Thi Thuan, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai City Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, presents livelihood capital to an association member in Long Thanh Ward.

Yet despite these overwhelming hardships, many have refused to surrender to fate. Through determination and resilience, they have continued to work, pursue education, build sustainable livelihoods, and make meaningful contributions to their families and society.

Love as a source of strength

For the past 58 years, Nguyen Thi Kiem, who lives in Binh Chuoc Quarter, Tran Bien Ward, has devoted every day of her life to caring for her daughter, Mai Yen Phuong, an Agent Orange victim. Exposure to Agent Orange left Phuong with hydrocephalus, severely contracted limbs and permanent paralysis. Over the past year, she has also lost her eyesight. Today, her world is defined largely by conversations with her elderly mother and the gentle care she receives every day.

Widowed in her twenties after her husband died of illness, Kiem raised three children on her own, including Phuong, whose disabilities are especially severe. Despite years of poverty and hardship, she has never considered giving up. "She is my daughter, so it is my responsibility to care for her," Kiem said. "You feel compassion for strangers in difficult circumstances, let alone your own child. Whatever happens, I will always do my best."

Every day, she patiently feeds, bathes and cares for her daughter, tending to all of her daily needs. Even at night, she rarely sleeps soundly, remaining alert to look after Phuong. What has become routine for Kiem is, to others, an extraordinary testament to a mother's unconditional love.

Huynh Thi Kim Sang, a neighbor, said Kiem's life has been filled with hardship. "Only a mother's boundless love could sustain such unwavering devotion for so many decades," she said.

Building a livelihood through determination and resilience

Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai, a resident of Trung Tin Quarter in Xuan Loc Ward, is also an Agent Orange victim. Disabled since childhood, she is unable to walk and moves around primarily by crawling or with assistance from family members. Yet rather than feeling sorry for herself or blaming fate, she chose to work and build an independent life.

In 1990, while receiving treatment at a rehabilitation center, Hai shared a room with many people facing even more severe disabilities. Seeing others who depended entirely on their families made her realize how fortunate she was to retain a sound mind. From that moment, she became even more determined to overcome adversity.

Several years ago, a social organization provided her with VND7 million in livelihood support. With additional financial help from her family, she opened a small grocery store at home. Since then, her workday has begun at 5 a.m. and often ended at 10 p.m. She arranges merchandise, serves customers and manages the shop herself. When heavy items or products on high shelves are beyond her reach, she asks family members or customers for assistance. Although years of crawling have left her hands and feet calloused, Hai remains cheerful and optimistic. Her grocery store has become a familiar destination for local residents, providing her with a stable income earned through her own efforts. "Money I earn myself gives me confidence," Hai said. "I'm happy to have a job, an income and financial independence."

Hai's younger brother is also an Agent Orange victim. Through perseverance and strong family support, he completed postgraduate studies and now has stable employment.

Hai’s father, Nguyen Thanh Giang, said watching his daughter happily running her business brings great comfort to the family. "Although Hai has a severe physical disability, her intelligence and optimism have been a tremendous source of encouragement for us," he said.

Breaking barriers through knowledge

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diem, an Agent Orange/dioxin victim from Binh Son 2 Quarter in Long Thanh Ward, has chosen knowledge and technology as her path to overcoming adversity. Living with a severe mobility impairment caused by Agent Orange, Diem relies on a wheelchair and has very limited movement in her hands.

After graduating from high school, she received support from the Dong Nai Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin and the Vietnam Center for Research and Development of Capacities for Persons with Disabilities to study graphic design. "I felt this profession suited both my interests and my physical condition," Diem said.

Completing the course was an achievement in itself, but securing employment proved even more challenging. Unable to work on-site because of her health condition, she searched for opportunities online. Through persistence and determination, she established working relationships with several businesses, including real estate companies, providing graphic design and image editing services. The work requires her to constantly update her skills, keep pace with market trends and develop creative ideas. Rather than seeing these demands as obstacles, she has embraced them as motivation for continuous learning and professional growth.

Beyond her paid work, Diem also volunteers her design skills whenever her neighborhood needs banners, slogans, logos or promotional materials for community events and meetings. From an Agent Orange victim facing severe physical limitations, she has become a skilled professional with a stable income, enabling her to support others in need.

Although each person's circumstances are different, they share one common trait: they refuse to blame fate. Instead, they face life with optimism, resilience and determination, striving to build better lives. Their stories not only demonstrate the power of perseverance in overcoming adversity but also inspire hope and positivity throughout the community.

Dong Nai City is home to more than 13,000 Agent Orange victims. During the first six months of the year, the municipal Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin mobilized more than VND21.5 billion in support for victims and their families. It also organized numerous assistance programs aimed at helping Agent Orange victims improve their livelihoods and achieve greater stability in their lives.

By  Quang Minh - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha