VietNamNet Bridge - The handicapped information technology expert Nguyen Cong Hung, 31, died on December 31, on a business trip from HCM City to Vinh Long Province.




The burial was held in Hung’s hometown on the afternoon of January 3. Currently, the family did not know the cause of the sudden death of Hung.

Born in 1982 in Nghi Loc, Nghe An province, Hung grew normally as other children until he reached the age of two. The boy was shrunken with muscle disease. The family brought him to many hospitals for treatment, but no results, Hung had to sit in a wheelchair for life.

Despite the disease, Hung studied very well, especially in mathematics and fine arts. At the age of 15, when Hung was in poor health, he could only move only one finger. His sister suffered from the same disease so Hung had to be absent from school.

This time, Hung became familiar with computers and the internet. Intelligence and willpower, extraordinary courage helped Hung become an IT expert, even with a finger that could move. From here, the idea of helping people with disabilities by information technology flashed.

In 2003, Hung formed the “Circle of Unity” group to realize his idea. In 2004, he opened an IT training center for people with disability at his home.

In 2005, he was granted the title “IT Knight” by E-Chip magazine of VietNamNet Newspaper. In 2006, Hung was one of 10 people to win an inaugural Volunteer Award for his work on improving services for disabled people.

He ran a social enterprise called "The Will to Live" that assists the disabled in getting vocational training and finding work. Their courses cover English, web programming, and IT skills for the office. More than 750 people have graduated from the courses, half of whom have already secured jobs.

Hung also set up a website for this purpose, The Will to Live, which had more than 30,000 members around the world as of 2006.

Compiled by S. Tung