The VND 200 million (USD8,696) house built for Khuong Van Bien was started on October 1 which was donated by Dantri/Dtinews readers.
The donations came after a story of the 34-year-old blind man was published on Dantri/Dtinews. Bien said he was healthy at birth but became blind at the age of two after falling sick and was not treated on time. When he was three years old, his father died from lung cancer. His mother was very poor and he had to do various work to earn a living, from mowing grass to helping out at some local green tea workshops.
Bien and his wife and daughter at their old house
At 21 years old, Bien joined a class for blind people and took a massage course. He then got married and opened a small parlour offering massage services. However the small family has to try to make ends meet with his modest income, while his wife suffers various health problems including a hernia, kidney stones, and ovarian cysts after giving birth to their daughter.
Bien has not had any income from his massage work since the Covid-19 pandemic and the family collected wood and lived on the monthly allowance of VND405,000 (USD18). The local authorities approved financial support of VND40 million (USD1,739) to help him build a new house as his old house had become too run down. However, Bien refused, saying that he did not have any more money and VND40 million (USD1,739) was not enough to build a new house.
The groundbreaking ceremony of his new house saw the attendance of local authorities including chairman of Phu Luong District Red Cross Association Ha Thi Thoi.
Speaking at the ceremony, the chairwoman of Phu Luong District Red Cross Association Ha Thi Thoi said that she was very moved to see Bien receiving support from the public to have a new house.
"With the financial help from the community together with some from local authorities, Bien can now build a firm house for his family."
Bien said he was so happy that his dream of a new house can be realised thanks to the help from Dantri/Dtinews readers.
"We’re so happy that we could not sleep last night," he said. "It was like a dream come true for us. Thanks so much for your great help."
The blind man said that he would use one of the rooms in his new house to open a free massage class for disadvantaged people in the area.
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