At 41 years old, Mr. Thuận is a husband, a father of two children in grades 6 and 7, and until recently, a road construction worker at Long Nguyệt Transportation Construction Co., Ltd. His wife works in farming and livestock, while he has spent most of his adult life doing heavy manual labor to support his family.
Mr. Thuận was born with a visual impairment that gradually worsened over time. He made it to the 9th grade before having to leave school due to his deteriorating eyesight, which doctors initially misdiagnosed as astigmatism. As his vision declined, he began to worry more seriously about his future and how he could continue to support his family when he could no longer work in construction.
He first heard about the Blind Association’s massage training program two years ago through the chairman of the Nho Quan District Blind Association. At that time, however, he didn’t feel ready to make a change. “I had to finish building our home first,” he explains. “I wanted to make sure it was strong enough to protect my wife and kids during storms. I couldn’t focus on learning until I knew they were safe.”
Now that the house is finished and he’s saved up enough money for his children’s school fees—around 10 million VND, including buying a desktop computer—Mr. Thuận has peace of mind. “My wife just needs to worry about daily meals. The rest is taken care of. That’s why I can finally commit to learning.”
He enrolled in the massage training course as a long-term investment in his future. “I joined this class to prepare for the day I lose my sight completely,” he says. “It’ll be harder to learn once I can’t see at all, so I want to gain the skills now to be able to work later as a massage therapist or technician.”
Before starting the class, Mr. Thuận spent nine years in the South working on poultry farms and mushroom farms before returning to his hometown to get married. Though he had heard about massage therapy, he had never experienced it himself. “I wasn’t particularly interested in it at first. But when I learned that teachers from Hanoi were coming to lead the course, I knew it was worth the effort. I dropped everything to study.”
Living and training with other blind students has been both a learning experience and a challenge. “Sometimes I feel frustrated,” he admits. “People leave their shoes lying around and I keep tripping over them. I call home and tell my wife I spend half my day avoiding people. I feel for my classmates—it’s hard for them to even eat properly. Something as simple as dipping meat into fish sauce becomes difficult when you can’t see. So many of them just eat plain food.”
Despite the small frustrations, Mr. Thuận remains committed. “I see this as a necessary step. I want to be ready, and I want to make sure that when my vision is completely gone, I’ll still be able to earn a living and care for my family.”
Mr. Thuận’s story is one of resilience, foresight, and quiet determination. In preparing for the darkness ahead, he is building a brighter, more secure future—not only for himself, but for his loved ones as well.
