Aging mother struggles to take care of disabled daughters

For the past 40 years, Pham Thi Binh has struggled to earn a meagre living for herself and her mentally challenged children.

Binh pictured with three of her daughters

Binh’s children have trouble leaving the house alone

Binh’s old age provides little rest

Binh’s difficult life in the northern province of Ha Nam has taken a toll on her body and she appears much older than her actual age of 64.

In 1947 Binh, from hamlet No. 3, Ba Sao commune in Kim Bang district, Ha Nam Province, married Nguyen Manh Thang, who was five years her elder, and lived in the same village. She was 18 years old at the time of their marriage, and the couple moved to the northern province of Thai Nguyen to earn their living working on a plantation.

While pregnant with her first child, Binh was exposed to the toxic chemical B158. The substance was used as a pesticide spray on the plantation where she lived. She returned to her home town of Ba Sao to give birth to her first child, Tran Thi Minh, in 1969.

There were immediate signs that Minh had health issues, and when she reached the age of 6 she still could not speak. The effect of the pesticides led to severe development problems. Minh has four younger sisters, two of whom were also adversely affected by the chemicals.

Although Binh and her husband took all three children to Cao Da Mental Centre in Ha Nam province, they could not afford treatment.

Binh said, “Many people can deal well with hardship, but the situation has been very difficult for me. Three out of five of my children have mental problems. Sometimes the depression is so great that I consider running away. However, I love my children and could never abandon them. I will take care of them as long as I am alive, despite our misfortunes.”

The weight of her burden doubled in 1997 when her husband died, and she was left to care for her daughters alone. She says now that the only thing that allows her to face such hardship is her love for her daughters.

Binh’s health continues to deteriorate because of her exposure to the pesticides, and she worries about the day when she will no longer be around to look after her children. Even though they are all now adults, they are not capable of taking care of themselves.

The four-member family is now living on a diet of maize and cassavas, in addition to her worker’s pension and her children\'s benefits of VND120,000 (USD6) per month, which is not enough to cover the basic necessities.

Dantri/DTiNews\' Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund is willing to receive supports from both local and foreign readers, agencies and oraganisations to help Pham Thi Binh and her children.

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