Dantri's readers support elderly woman to raise ill-mentally children

Dantri/DTiNews Newspaper has just transferred nearly VND 100 million to a poor elderly woman who is struggling to support her three children who all have mental problems in Quang Binh Province.

Dantri/DTiNews Newspaper has just transferred nearly VND 100 million to help a poor elderly woman in Quang Binh Province.

In November, Dantri published a story of Duong Thi Hue, 70, from Vo Thuan 3 Village, Tay Trach Commune who has had to lock up her two mentally-ill daughters for the past 10 years.

Duong Thi Hue, 70, from Vo Thuan 3 Village, Tay Trach Commune has had to lock up her two mentally-ill daughters for the past 10 years.

Hue said she has eight children but four of them have mental illnesses. Hue and her husband both were in the army during the American War. She is a victim of Agent Orange and it affected her children. Hue's husband died long ago, leaving her to raise the children alone.

The two daughters, Duong Thanh Binh, 30, and Duong Thi Hong Thanh, 28, were diagnosed with schizophrenia. After birth, both Binh and Thanh already showed unusual signs and their conditions have worsened since 2008. They are afraid of light, strangers and often mumble to themselves, scream and destroy the furniture.

In 2010, the mother had to buy a chain to keep her children at home. Then with help from the neighbours, she built a small house with two rooms to lock them in.

"I have to be careful and look for a time when they are not in a fit to clean the room or feed them. I can only leave the food at the window. I'm afraid if I open the door, they'll leave," she said.

The two women has been locked for 10 years.

Another child of Hue, Duong Viet Thanh has also suffered from worsening health. The other children either also have mental illnesses or left home to find work in other provinces so can't help.

After the story was published, many kind donors have sent money to Dantri/DTiNews' Charity Fund or directly to the woman to support her.

On December 9, a representative of Dantri/DTiNews visited her house to transfer VND104 million (USD4,521) which readers sent to help her.

Receiving the donations, the elderly woman said that she was very moved by the kind help from donors.

"This is the first time in my life I’ve had such a big sum of money," she said. "Several people have also called me to send their best wishes and nearly VND 10 million (USD435) to support me. I want to send my deepest thanks to readers of Dantri and other kind donors for their support."

Following Dantri/DTiNews' story, authorities in Quang Binh Province are also preparing to send the two mentally-ill daughters of Hue to a local social protection centre.

Speaking with Dantri on November 16, vice chairman of Bo Trach District People's Committee, Nguyen Huu Hong, said that they have directed the local Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to quickly complete procedures to move the two women in Tay Trach Commune to the Quang Binh Provincial Mental Disease Healthcare and Rehabilitation Centre.