People undefeated by post-war bombs and mines

Vietnam’s Quang Tri province, an area of scorching sun and heavy rain, was also hardest hit by the American bombing during the war. Despite severe natural conditions, victims of war bombs and mines have struggled to build a new, better life.

“When I was 15 years old, in grade 7, and was participating in a school corvee, I faced unexploded ordnance left by the war. Four people died, four were injured.  All of them were my classmates at Trung Son secondary school,” Nguyen Van Phuong of ward 5 in Dong Ha City told us his life story with a sad voice.

Children of victims of war bombs and mines and of disadvantaged households are presented with Peace Trees Vietnam’s scholarships.

In the twinkling of an eye, many of the teenager’s dreams and aspirations vanished. Recovering in hospital, Phuong realized there were many other wounded people like him. His legs were amputated because there were too many victims, a shortage of medicines, his wounds became infected.

It’s hard for an ordinary person to earn a living, but it’s much harder for a person with disability.

Out of weariness, Phuong sometimes wants to let things run their course.

He shared, “Everyone has a childhood dream: to do well in school and travel a lot to learn as much as possible. But I wanted to end my life. A few times I bought medicine to commit suicide but friends and relatives knew and dissuaded me."

"The other times I wanted to end my life by sitting on the railway track. My life began to change when I decided to live on my own. Now I’ve become interested in earning a living,” he added.

Time has passed. The pain is fading. Now Phuong finds his fulfillment in working hard for his own family.

“In 1998, I got married and we had our first baby. Our second baby was born three years later. When the Peace Tree project was launched in 2001, I applied for a house in Hoa Binh village and moved there in 2003. Ten years later, we had our third baby. They are very obedient and study hard. They make me happy and I think only of working hard to have enough money to take care of them,” he said.

Like Phuong, the life of Tran Thi Be of ward 5 in Dong Ha city has been full of tears. She noted, “In 1973 on the way from Quang Tri to Da Nang, I set off a mine and lost two legs. My mom and five sisters died. My dad was injured. At that time I was 13 years old."

"I spent two years in hospital. When my father recovered, he brought me to our native village. Our life is one of great deprivation both materially and emotionally. But I still try to continue to live,” she shared.

Her life turned a new page when she was invited to be in a film entitled “Stand life” because her life has been similar to the main characters.

Do Thien Dang, a war bomb and mine victim from Trieu Long commune, Trieu Phong district, is making flower baskets to have more income when a mushroom crop is over.

She said, “The film is about a single woman who yearns to have a baby and become a mother. After participating in the film, I changed my mind, daring to dream and stop fearing others. I have a daughter. With the money from being in the film, I’ve managed to do a small trade to feed my child. ”

Be’s life has become easier thanks to the support of the community, adding “Now I have to take medicine all year round. The artificial legs make my back and spinal column hurt. Though my life is difficult, I’ll do my best to care for my daughter. I hope that she will get additional love and support from society.”