Project raises funds for disabled kids

The project, which also helped mark International Children’s Day, was a joint effort by the village in the Thanh Xuan District and the Circle of Friends Young Volunteer Organisation.

The organisers displayed 40 individual paintings and three collective works and ran auctions to raise funds for the village.

T-shirts and others souvenirs, printed with copies of the disabled children’s paintings, are for sale.

The village’s disabled children, who love drawing, learn to paint with help of volunteers from Ha Noi Architecture University.

Paintings of disabled children were printed o­n porcelain mugs, postcards, greeting cards and T-shirts and sold during the exhibition.

"Our project’s goal is to help the children of the village generate an income by selling their paintings and use it to cover their living expenses and treatment," said Nguyen Huy Hoan, the project co-ordinator.

"We also hope the children will gain the confidence to overcome difficult circumstances and fully integrate into the community," he said.

"By having their paintings printed o­n postcards that can be used as special gifts for family members, friends and colleagues, we hope our project can empower the talented and underprivileged children."

Each painting, with lively sparkling colours, details something about their daily lives and represents their hopes, beliefs and dreams. Paintings also express the innocence and spontaneity of children, he said.

Minh Trang, a student from the university, was impressed when she saw artwork by the children. She loves paintings by Nguyen Viet Anh, who is paralysed in o­ne arm.

The 14-year-old’s paintings express various stories but all feature a boy with a paralysed arm. In spite of his affliction, Anh enjoys painting and half the exhibition was his work.

Trang said he hadn’t notice a difference between the quality of the disabled children’s work and that produced by other youngsters. Despite disability, they draw well. Each painting is worth respect.

The village was established in 1991 by the Oberhauzen International Peace Village, sponsored by the German government. It provides consultation, treatment and rehabilitation for Vietnamese children with disabilities related to Orange Agent.