The life after war- An Agent Orange victim

Bui Xuan Nam limps to the wood engraving machine to continue his work. He’s got some orders this month. Nam’s little son is sitting next to him, looking attentively at his father’s hands moving rhythmically on a wood plate. Flowers, trees, animals, people are appearing gradually on the wood plate under his hands.

At first glance of Nam’s appearance, no one may consider that he is an Agent Orange victim with a disfigured foot.

After returning home after the war, Nam’s father was diagnosed with illness related to the dioxins from Agent Orange.

In 1964, Nam’s father was among millions of Vietnamese young men who joined the government military serving in the Vietnam War. His father was then sent to the Truong Son battlefield where the American army dropped many bombs and sprayed a toxic defoliant known as Agent Orange.

After returning home after the war, Nam’s father was diagnosed with illness related to the dioxins from Agent Orange. Years later, two of his seven children were born with serious birth defects as a result of the toxic chemical. Nam has a foot deformity and his elder brother has Down Syndrome.

Life back home was really a hardship for the family of nine.

Nam grew up, got married, had two children, and then moved out of his parents’ house, though poverty continued to pursue his new family.

Due to Nam’s physical fragility and difficulty moving around, he had extremely limited employment opportunities.

“My wife had to do housework, raise our children, and earn money at the same time. All burdens seemed to fall on her shoulders while I just sat at home feeling useless,” recalls Nam.

After an endless search for a job, Nam registered for a wood engraving class in 2007. However, without any savings for start-up costs, after he graduated he realised he had no chance to open a small engraving shop.

Fortunately, two years later, World Vision started its 15-year-long development programme in Tien Phuoc, which included a club for people with disabilities. Nam became one of the first people in the district to join the club.

"World Vision has given me not only a chance to communicate with other people who have the same problems like me, but also gave me a valuable gift: a wood engraving machine,” says Nam.

With World Vision’s support, Nam was able to make his dream come true. The engraving shop is running quite well at his home, with his monthly income being around 1.2 million dong per month (USD 60). Occasionally, his income has reached 6 million dong (USD 300) if he gets extra orders.

“Even though my income isn’t stable, as there are months I don't have any client orders, I am partially able to financially support my wife raising our children,” says Nam. “After war, now my family and I feel secure.”

His children’s future, an 8-year-old girl and 4-year-old son, are his main motivation to keep attempting to overcome any difficult circumstances in life. “I’ll try my best to keep them in school so that they will have better lives,” says Nam.

Story by: Nguyen Binh Xuyen, Le Van Tuyen, Tien Phuoc ADP

Written by: Tran My Hang, Communications Officer