We do not have to drive far in the afternoon and the scenery on the way is breathtaking. Our destination is Pao No, a small village in a valley 30 km from the Song Ma Leprosarium where we were working this morning. It is the home village of three former inhabitants of the Leprosarium, three women. They had returned home many years ago after they had been declared cured of the disease. Even so they had remained under the care and support of the Leprosarium, because of severe deformities to their feet.

The condition of their feet had deteriorated over the years, despite the monthly visits by the health staff of the Leprosarium, and eventually all three of them had had to have amputations. This was done in the hospital in Hanoi where they also received their first prosthesis and gait training.

Their physical situation had improved greatly since the amputation. They had been walking almost normally again and they had expressed their desire to find work to earn their own income after years of receiving a small allowance from the provincial health service and relying on their families. But how to find suitable work in this mountain area where most people earn their income by working the land? Tilling the soil on the steep mountain slopes is not an easy task even with two sound legs, not to mention that it is extremely difficult if you are a prosthetic user!

A solution had been found by Dr Ban, the head of the provincial programme. He had discussed the situation of the three women with one of the local banks. Vietnam has several bank and financial programme systems that provide loans to the poor. One bank had agreed to give the women a loan to start a small orchard. They had bought young fruit trees to grow lychees and planted them on a piece of land outside the village that the village authorities had allowed them to use.

We learnt that they have had good and disappointing seasons, but overall the orchard has provided them well and within three years they had been able to pay back the loan and interest. Their once small orchard has become a sizeable orchard where they now also grow rambutans and longans and employ several of their family members. From being dependents they have become the providers for their families!

When we arrive we see Mrs Ut, So and La with some family members and neighbours resting in the shade of their houses after their morning's work. We visit them twice a year and they are always happy to see us. We quickly check their prostheses and their stumps. All looks well. Only the prostheses need new knee straps. After renewing the straps we talk with them a bit and, of course, taste some fresh lychees. Then we say our goodbyes and start our long drive back to Hanoi.

When we drive out of the village into the mountains, we turn around for one last glance and see the grandchildren of Mrs Ut playing against the background of the valley. The lives of the three women in Pao No have taken a turn for the better. 

Contact Jan Robijn: nlrvietnam@hn.vnn.vn 

 

 

 

 

Category: Field Activities