Blind man struggles to raise family

A blind man in Thai Nguyen Province is in need of financial support for his ill wife and small daughter.

Khuong Van Bien with his wife and daughter

34-year-old Khuong Van Bien lives on the slopes of a hill in Dong Kem Village, Yen Ninh Commune. His most valuable belongings are old pots and kettles and his house is too rundown to protect him from the weather. A part of his roof is damaged and has not been repaired. When it rains, there is no difference between staying in and out of the house.

According to Bien, he was healthy at birth. But after falling sick and was not treated on time, he became blind. When he was three years old, his father died from lung cancer. When he was 17 years old, his mother remarried and only took his sister along, leaving him to stay with his uncle.

Bien did everything he could from mowing grass to helping out at tea workshops. One time, he fell into a stream and nearly died and in another case, he was bitten by a poisonous snake.

Bien's house can not protect the family from the environment

At 21 years old, he joined a class for blind people and took a massage course. He was hired to work in Bac Kan and got married. After having their child, his wife's health deteriorated quickly and she suffers from various illnesses including hernia, kidney stones, ovarian cysts.

"I earn about VND40,000 (USD1.70) per customer. On a lucky day, I received three to four customers and there were days that I had no customers. Each month, I can save and send home VND1m to VND1.5m," he said.

However, due to Covid-19 his massage parlour was closed and he is without a job. The family collects wood and lives on the monthly allowance of VND405,000 (USD18). The local authorities have approved support of VND40m to help him build a new house. However, Bien refused, saying that he does not have any more money and VND40m is not enough to build a new house.

Nong Van Doan, vice chairman of Yen Ninh Commune People's Committee, said, "Bien's family is one of our poor households and they have never managed to escape poverty. The rainy season is coming and it's dangerous to live in his house. I hope people will help him."

If you can help please donate through:
1. Code 4207: Hoang Thi Hong Tham, Bien's wife, from Dong Kem Village, Yen Ninh Commune, Phu Luong District, Thai Nguyen Province.
Tel: 0365737780

2. Vietnam Study Promotion Fund
Address: Room 401, 402, Building 25, Ta Quang Buu Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
Tel: 0243 9448503
Bank account: Vietcombank; account number 1020856912
At Vietcombank’s Ha Thanh branch

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Tel: 024. 3. 7366.491/ Fax: 024. 3. 7366.490
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* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietcombank:

Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
Account number: 1017378606
With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM – Thanh Cong Branch

* US Dollar Account information at Vietcombank:

Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
Account number: 1017780241
SWIFT Code: BFTV VNVX 045
With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM

* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietinbank:

Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
Account number: 126000081304
With Bank: Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade – Hoan Kiem Branch

* Vietnam Dong Account information at BIDV
Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
Account number: 26110002631994
At: Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, Trang An Branch
Address: No. 11, Cua Bac Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi; Tel: 0436869656.

* Vietnam Dong Account information at MB Bank:
Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
Account number: 0231195149383
With Bank: MILITARY COMMERCIAL JOINT STOCK BANK - Thai Thinh Branch, Hanoi

* Vietnam Dong Account information at Agribank:
- Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
- Account number: 1400206035022
- At Agribank, Lang Ha Branch, Hanoi

* Vietnam Dong Account information at SHB:
- Account holder: Bao Dien tu Dan tri
- Account number: 1017589681
- At SHB, Hanoi branch

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