Limping on the yard floor that still carried the scent of fresh wood, Lò Văn Piếng used his sun-tanned hand to firmly hold the wooden board being smoothed. Having lost 1/3 of his left thigh over 20 years ago, yet for many years, Piếng has consistently worked in carpentry combined with livestock farming, taking care of his family and being enthusiastic about the local association work for people with disabilities.

In 2005, while in 12th grade, Piếng discovered he had a bone tumor. His family had to sell their assets and borrow money to take him to Hanoi for treatment. After many surgeries, doctors were forced to amputate a part of his left leg to save his life. The incident hitting him in his youth once left him mentally devastated. Recalling that time, Piếng thoughtfully shared: “Previously, I had a bone tumor and had to go down to Hanoi for treatment, losing 1/3 of my left thigh. At that time, my spirit was very devastated and depressed. After being encouraged and helped by relatives and family, I tried to study. I chose to do carpentry to earn a living and support my family.”

Returning after treatment, with the mindset of not allowing himself to give up, Piếng continued to complete his high school program and then pursued an intermediate course at Điện Biên College. Not wanting to become a burden to his family, he learned carpentry, took orders to make tables and chairs, and built houses for the villagers. Currently, besides carpentry, his family also maintains raising pigs and chickens to increase their income. The spacious house today is the result of many years of persistent labor by the couple. Both of his children are well taken care of and fully educated.

Not only overcoming his personal circumstances, Piếng also actively participates in social work. He used to participate in coordinating projects supporting people with disabilities and worked with association officials to survey poor households with people with disabilities to support their livelihoods. Currently, he is the Head of the Branch of the Association for the Protection of People with Disabilities and the Protection of Children’s Rights in Mường Phăng commune. With his personal efforts and active contributions to the association’s work, in 2022, Piếng was selected as one of the 50 outstanding families of people with disabilities nationwide to attend the commendation conference in Hanoi and was 1 of the 4 outstanding people with disabilities of Điện Biên province to attend the national commendation conference.

With a spirit of overcoming difficulties, Trần Đình Hùng in Mỹ Hưng village, Thanh Nưa commune, chose to stand up after a life incident. The peach garden of over 1,000m2 is carefully pruned, cared for, and weeded by Hùng to prepare for the Tet season. Next to the peach garden is the pig, chicken, and duck farming area maintained by his family for many years. Currently, Hùng’s family raises 20 commercial pigs along with over 200 chickens and ducks. The model of growing peaches combined with livestock farming has brought a stable income for Hùng’s family of over VND 100 million each year. For Hùng, the most important thing is to escape poverty, affirming that people with disabilities can completely work and support themselves.

Trần Đình Hùng shared: “After the accident happened, with the help and support of my family, I tried to strive to rise up in life. Since getting married, my wife and I have worked hard, raising pigs and chickens combined with growing peaches, helping the family have a stable income for living expenses and our children’s education.”

While taking care of his family’s economic development, Hùng also regularly participates in cultural and sports activities for people with disabilities. For many people in the same situation, those activities help them become more confident, more open, and have more motivation to integrate into the community.

Behind the journey of overcoming difficulties of many people with disabilities in the province is the persistent companionship of the provincial Association for the Protection of People with Disabilities and the Protection of Children’s Rights. Over the past ten years, the association has mobilized about VND 25 billion to support people with disabilities, orphans, and poor students. From the mobilized resources, the association has awarded hundreds of bicycles, more than 2,000 scholarships, and thousands of wheelchairs for people with disabilities; supported livelihoods, repaired houses, built classrooms, kitchens, and sanitation works, helping thousands of disadvantaged individuals have more conditions to rise up in life.

Phạm Thị Vịnh, Chairwoman of the provincial Association for the Protection of People with Disabilities and the Protection of Children’s Rights, stated: “For people with disabilities to confidently integrate into the community and participate in social activities, the association’s task is to disseminate and mobilize so that people with disabilities can change their perception. From there, they have faith and participate in social activities such as culture, arts, and sports; while proactively developing the economy suitable to their abilities. In addition, the association calls on and connects with businesses and benefactors to support livelihoods and create suitable jobs for people with disabilities.”

Amidst the difficulties of life, the willpower of people with disabilities becomes even more precious. They do not surrender to fate but, through their own labor, are daily affirming their self-worth, becoming a support for their families, and spreading a positive living spirit to the community.