A life full of smile of Vietnamese girl with no arms or legs

Hoai Thuong, who also has the affectionate nickname of “penguin,” lives in the outlying district of Cu Chi in Ho Chi Minh City, one of Vietnam’s most well-known sites with links to many historical events during the war.

She was born without arms and legs as a consequence of Agent Orange, one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971.

Her parents, workers living in a wooden house, said they struggle to make a living, especially after the birth of Thuong as their second child.

Tran Thi Cam Giang, the mother, initially cried and even thought about committing suicide with her daughter after seeing Thuong’s disabled body.

With a small amount of money from selling lottery tickets every day, Giang takes the bus to bring Thuong to a physiotherapy center in District 3, tens of kilometers away from Cu Chi, hoping to cure her daughter.

At the age of four, Thuong can manage almost every basic need in her life, including eating, brushing her teeth, getting dressed and arranging her books and things.

This year, Thuong enters second grade. The little girl uses a fake hand to help her write and use a calculator. She also has a small four-wheeled table which helps her move around.

However, Thuong still hopes that she can walk with her legs some day.

This summer, the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange recently provided support to give her prosthetic legs.

After over one month of training, Thuong can walk for five or six steps. The doctor said her legs are bent and need an operation.

“We are running out of money. I stop selling lottery tickets to take Thuong to school and only sell jackfruit to make a little money,” Giang said.