A poor couple in Nghe An Province is in desperate need of help to treat their three children, all of whom suffer from mental diseases.
The couple and their children
The family is from Thuan My Commune, Nam Dan District. The couple, Nguyen Duy Khuong, 47, and Nguyen Thi Hai, 43, have two daughters, Nguyen Thi Thanh, 22, Nguyen Thi Xuan, 21, and the one son Nguyen Van Linh, aged 15. The children are housebound and have very little interaction with the outside world.
Hai said she and her husband got married in 1990. They were very happy to have their eldest daughter, but found out about her illness when she was one year old. Thanh often has convulsive fits and needs to be hospitalised. The little girl was later diagnosed with epilepsy.
The couple had to borrow money from their relatives and even sell their assets to get their daughter treatment. Still the girl's condition did not improve. Her convulsions often came at time of weather changes.
They pinned high hopes on their second daughter, Nguyen Thi Xuan, but once again, their child started to show signs of mental illness at the age of three.
Finally they had a son, Nguyen Van Linh, who they thought would be able to help secure the family's future. However when he was in the fourth grade he was diagnosed with the same disease as his older sisters.
Fighting against fate
Khuong’s family is listed as the poorest in the commune. His mother suffers from a stroke, his wife is living with cervical cancer and his all children fight mental diseases. For him, life seems to be hopeless.
At the age of 20, Xuan and Thanh could have helped their parents, but they cannot even deal with their own personal hygiene.
Besides farming work, he also works as a hired labourer with various jobs such as working a plough or transporting rice.
The children even damage their beds and mats
Whenever the couple goes out, they are forced to lock the door, leaving their children inside. The room is less than four square metres and has only one small window, which is always shut. The children even damage their beds and mats when they have seizures.
Due to their difficult condition, Mrs Hai is not provided with the treatment for her cervical cancer, instead she takes free medical herbs offered by a nearby pagoda.
Over the past year, Mrs. Hai has been granted with VND360,000 (USD17.1) per month and their two daughter have been given VND250,000 (USD11.9) per month; meanwhile, the son is not old enough to receive support.
Nguyen Xuan Binh, Chairman of Nam Cat Commune, said the local People’s Committee assists their family, but only modestly. He hoped that DTiNews readers could help them.
Mr. Khuong’s farther joined the resistance war against French colonialism and was injured at the battle of Dien Bien Phu. However, due to the loss of papers, he did not benefit from policies for people who contributed to revolutions. He died in 2010.
Donations can be made via:
1.Code 1072: Nguyen Duy Khuong, Thuan My Village, Nam Cat Commune, Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province
Phone: 01689.576.682
2. Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund – Dan tri Newspaper (Hanoi)
No. 2/48 Giang Vo Str., Dong Da Dist., Hanoi (beside Kim Ma petrol station)
Tel: 04. 3. 7366.491/ Fax: 04. 3. 7366.490
Email:quynhanai@dantri.com.vn
* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietcombank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 045 100 194 4487
With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM – Thanh Cong Branch
* US Dollar Account information at Vietcombank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 045 137 195 6482
SWIFT Code: BFTVVNVX
With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM
* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietinbank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 10 201 0000 220 639
With Bank: Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade – Hoan Kiem Branch
* US Dollar Account information at MB Bank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 0721100357002
SWIFT Code: MSCBVNVX
With Bank: MILITARY COMMERCIAL JOINT STOCK BANK - MCSB ( No.3, Lieu Giai str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam)
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