A moving story about teacher Do Trung Nghia, a handicapped man who never surrenders to his limitations and has been working with children in poverty for over 20 years.

His home is his classroom

Driving along a small road on the outskirts of a fishing hamlet near the Chu River, we arrived for a visit at teacher Nghia's house.  The first thing we see as we pulled up were children sitting silently with folded arms on their desks, listening to a teacher's lecture.  Then we see Nghia, bright-eyed with a gentle face, rested in a small bed while giving his lecture.  He was surrounded by books.  His atrophied legs and arms cannot move but he encouraged the children to speak with us.

Everyday at noon children arrive at Nghia's home to learn. Their ages vary from 5 upwards.  Most of them don't go to school because they are poor and stay far away from schools. Sometimes his class has more than 20 pupils.

He informed us that at times, the children had to take him to the yard to teach because there were too many pupils in the room. He teaches them with a black board and a ruler. Recently, Vietnam Television Station donated some desks and chairs, making it easier for them to learn.

A difficult destiny

It is easy to see Nghia's passion for teaching but you may not predict his difficult past.

He was born in a poor family and grew up the same way many others did.  One day this all changed when he woke up and felt pain in his bones. At first, people thought it was due to weather changes, but it turned out that he was suffering from arthritis. His joints started swelling and he felt increasing pain.

Nghia said, ”By that time I was in seventh grade. Due to the war, I had to evacuate and my friends had to take me to school because of my increased pain. My grandparents tried many kinds of medicine but my arthritis didn't get better. Since 1980 I have been paralysed."

An energetic and merciful teacher

Nghia grew restless and bored due to his limitations.  “I was feeling bored of staying in bed all the time, at first I taught children in my family, neighboured children saw me teaching outdoors because they could not afford to go to school, I felt pity for them so I let them join my class. Then many people in my hamlet sent their children to my class. Now, I have been teaching for over 20 years.”

Currently Nghia is living with his 87 year old mother. He takes care of her and does daily personal tasks with only his left arm. He has kitchen utensils and other personal items around his small bed.

He’s industrious to teach poor children in the hamlet with such obstacles for more than 20 years. He said: “I Live for struggling; I will keep struggling when I am alive."

People in the hamlet admire him because he’s not only energetic but also merciful. Poor children can attend his class with very modest payments of VND10,000 or VND20,000 or just some potatoes or wood.

“He’s very kind, we all love him. He teaches our children very well, holds their hands to show them how to write each letter, he also sews their clothes with only one hand. He never asks for a teaching fee. He even gives gifts to the children,” said Nguyen Thi Binh, his neighbour.

Many of his pupils have grown up, some of them have entered universities.  Binh sent 3 of her children to learn from Nghia. One of them is now studying at a university in HCMC, one is studying in a vocational school, and the third is in twelfth grade.

Recently he was rewarded for his contributions and teaching career by the Learning Encouragement Association and Education Department of Thanh Hoa province. It’s a great joy to him, a disabled teacher with 20 years of providing education under his belt.

When asked about his dream, he said: “I wish to be healthy to continue teaching poor children”. What a simple dream from a very special teacher.