Fourteen-year-old Hai from Vietnam used to feel embarrassed around his friends and teachers because of his eyelid.
Hai was born with congenital drooping in one eye. He was often teased and called ‘cross-eyed’. His parents promised that when he was older, they would do their best to get his eyes tested and treated.
But Hai comes from a disadvantaged community in Hoa Binh Province where access to healthcare can be difficult for many families.
Through a health project supported by ChildFund Vietnam, Hai was able to get his eyes tested. The doctor said that Hai had myopia, a condition in which he could only see objects near him clearly, and congenital eyelid drooping. Both conditions could be treated but Hai would have to go to the capital city, Hanoi, for surgery, which would be expensive.
ChildFund Vietnam’s health project runs preventative health screenings for children in rural areas and helps them access the treatment they need. So far, the project has been implemented in 15 primary and secondary schools in Kim Boi and Tan Lac districts.
ChildFund Vietnam health project officer, Hien, has been working closely with Hai and his family. She went through the benefits of surgery, prepared the paperwork, what they could expect and put his parents at ease with the process. She emphasised that the treatment could significantly improve Hai’s life. He could become more confident and be better able to focus on his studies.
Hien organised for the project to pay for the medical examination and surgery, along with travel and accommodation expenses for Hai and his parents in Hanoi.
The eye surgery was successful. “I used to feel embarrassed when talking to my friends and teachers because of my eyelid was dropped,” Hai says. “Now I no longer have congenital drooping eyelid and I am not afraid to talk with my friends any more.”
Hai is one of 31 children to have received treatment for an eye condition and is one of 4,758 students to have had an eye examination since ChildFund’s project started in 2020. ChildFund continues to work closely with his family to make sure Hai is recovering from his surgery, wearing his prescription glasses and is having regular check-ups to monitor his eyesight.
Hai is now a more confident student and is excited for the future. He is focusing in class, spends more time time reading books, and has returned to playing football.
“I feel more confident when reading in front of the class or making a speech,” he says. “Now, I can do whatever I want.”
At 18 years old Hien became a rugby coach through ChildFund Sport for Development curriculum, Pass It Back. At the age of 19, she led a group of coaches and at 20 she was the first ever President of the Hoa Binh Rugby Network, the first community rugby network in Vietnam.
This International Youth Day 12 August we’re celebrating young people like Hien. Through rugby, Hien is becoming more confident and has become a role model for her peers.
“I used to find it hard to voice my opinion in front of a crowd, partly because I had no idea if I was right or not, and I was afraid of being wrong, and partly because I thought no one would care to listen,” she says. “Since I joined the program, though, I learned a lot of useful things, like how it does not matter whether you are male or female, everyone has the right to speak up and voice their opinion.”
ChildFund Sport for Development is making sure that rugby is a safe and inclusive space for children and youth – particularly for young girls – to learn a new skill, grow their confidence, make friends and engage with their community.
When Hien first started coaching, she was nervous to take on the responsibility and was unsure about her abilities. As she developed her coaching skills over time, she could see her players were learning.
Through coaching, Hien has had the opportunity to challenge the gender stereotypes that exist in her community and has become a respected leader. She now leaps at the opportunity to take on more responsibility.
“When the previous coach left to take care of his newborn baby, I was voted to be his replacement as the coach group leader of Ngo Luong commune,” Hien says. “After a while, I became the coach group leader of Quyet Chien commune as well. I was under a lot of pressure at the time, but I tried to look at it as an opportunity to learn new skills and grow.”
Last year, Hien was voted to be the first ever President of Hoa Binh Rugby Network. “When I heard that I had the highest vote counts and would become the first President of the network, all I could do was grin,” she says.
“Little by little, I got used to the work and could manage all my responsibilities. I started spending most of my free time on the job. I went online and researched how to run a club and attract members. I grew more confident in assigning tasks and discussing work with members of the rugby club network. Everyone listened to and supported my decisions, which made me happy.
“As a coach and a leader, I have to be a role model. My players will look at everything I do and learn from it.”
Curriculum like ChildFund’s Pass It Back provide young people like Hien with the opportunity to develop the confidence necessary to reach their full potential and be able to speak up for their rights.
“People will now look at my actions and how I conduct myself,” Hien says. “I never used to care about life’s happenings, I was very uninvolved. Now when I see something that I think is not right, I will speak up.”
This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
