VietNamNet Bridge – For nearly 6 years, the precincts of Huong Lan pagoda in Dong Son commune, Chuong My district, Hanoi, has been the “class” of many people with disability.

On every Saturday and Sunday mornings, Mr. Hoang Van Thu, 66 years old, take her daughter – an Agent Orange victim - Hoang Thi Ha, 24 to the Hy Vong (hope) class in Huong Lan Pagoda, despite how the weather is. "My daughter has studied here for three years, only in Grade 1, but I still want to take here because she can find joy in life at this class," Mr. Thu said.

It is very difficult for Ha, Thu’s daughter, to move. She has to use two small wooden chairs to enter the class but she has always tried to not be absent from the class.

Ms. Le Thi Hoa, teacher of the Dong Son Primary School, Chuong My district, is the founder of this class. She said: "At first, I opened the class with a couple of children with disabilities in my home. Then more and more students from other villages wanted to join the class." Once the teacher visited the Huong Lan Pagoda, she saw the spacious campus here so she asked the permission of the pagoda’s manager – Venerable Thich Dam Lien – to open here class here.

Another teacher of this charity class is retired teacher Do Thi Nhan, 57 years old. Upon her retirement from the Dong Son Primary School, Nhan joined the teaching work here. "Witnessing the difficulties and struggles to learn letters of the kids, I was very painful. With the rest of my health, I will try to help them," said Nhan.

Old teacher Tran Thi Thoa, 60 years old, has helped many disabled kids to learn how to read and write. She said: "Just they can read a paragraph or do a calculation, I feel very happy then."

In addition to children with autism, disabilities and Agent Orange, some poor children also attend the class, like Truong Anh Phuong, 7 (white shirt).

Nguyen Van Trung, 20 years old, is doing an operation with the rods. Trung and his mother are both with intellectual disabilities. They are taken care of by Trung’s uncle, who is nearly 70 years old.

The teachers expect that the class can be maintained as long as possible and it can open three times a week.

Can Thi Khue, 20, is studying the 5th grade curriculum. She is the best student in the class. The teachers are worried about the future of this girl since she wishes to study further to become a teacher.

The charity class in Dong Son commune was founded in 2007 with six students. Currently, the class has 59 students aged from 6 to 31. Of these, 36 children are capable of learning and the rest come here to play.

VNE