Let’s continue our journey with the wonderful things that the Office of Genetic Counseling and Disabled Children (OGCDC) are doing to help children with disabilities in central Vietnam.

You can read other stories from this series here:
Part 1 – Raising Funds for the OGCDC Hear and Talk Program in Central Vietnam, Hue
Part 2 – Organic Farm for Youths With Disabilities in Hue, Vietnam

I was very privileged to be allowed access into the homes of some of the families that OGCDC are helping. All these families made me feel very welcome, which allowed me to photograph them freely and not feel that I was an outsider intruding on their lives.

One such family was Phuong Thy’s. Thy’s family live in a farming community on the outskirts of Hue. Thy’s dad is a pig farmer and her mum makes noodles. Thy, who is 6 years old, was born with severe hearing loss in both ears possibly as a result of her mother contracting measles during her pregnancy with Thy.

Unlike with Ha’s story, you can read it here, Thy’s hearing loss was detected early. Her family’s income is low and unstable but thankfully OGCDC stepped in and found Thy a sponsor. With their support Thy was given hearing aids and speech therapy when she was younger.

The difference between her development and that of Ha’s, who never received any hearing aids, is massive. Thy can talk now and she is in the first grade of primary school.

Ironically on the day that I arrived Thy’s mum was due to give birth. She and her husband were so relaxed considering the timing of our visit but I guess they realised how important it was to educate the outside world about the positive impact that early intervention can have through success stories like Thy’s.

It was absolutely inspiring to watch Thy communicate verbally with her parents and her teacher. She was so focused on everything that she was told and when she made a mistake, which wasn’t often, she would listen intently and do her best to correct herself.

The success of Thy’s development has to do largely with the fact that her hearing loss was detected early. My goal on this trip was to document the great work that OGCDC is doing in this regard. Especially the work that Cris Yudi, an audiology consultant here in Melbourne, is doing to set up the Hear and Talk program in Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy and to raise much needed funds for updating the hearing screening equipment for newborns. It was thanks to Cris, that I was given the opportunity to document the lives of families who have been affected as well as the schools that are in place to help these kids out.

For more information on the OGCDC, visit their website and learn how you can help.

Take care
Warren