Phuong’s Story

An Exceptional Project Partner

Today, we would like to share the story of a man affected by Agent Orange who, despite the most difficult circumstances, has managed to lead a full and meaningful life.

Nguyen Ngoc Phuong was born on 6 April 1981 in the village of Chau Son 1, Que An commune, near Mount Duong La in Quang Nam province.

He was born prematurely at under seven months, weighing just 800 grams and measuring less than 20 centimetres – around a quarter of the weight of an average newborn and less than half the typical length.

Phuong spent his childhood on a hillside surrounded by dense, shadowy vegetation. While other children went to school, he was frequently ill. His frailty and very small size made learning impossible. Some parents even forbade their children from playing with him – the boy who spent his days confined within four walls.

At that time, no one understood the cause of his disability. Many believed it to be a curse – punishment for the supposed misdeeds of his ancestors in a previous life. Rejection by the community and a sense of hopelessness were the family’s constant companions.

In 1987, Phuong’s younger sister, Nguyen Thi Hieu, was born – also with a disability. The family lived in extreme poverty. Though devastated, the parents refused to give up on their children.

They were determined to do everything they could to find treatment and offer them a future.

When Phuong was around nine or ten years old, he could no longer sleep at night. He would hear his mother coughing endlessly and felt deep compassion for her. One day, some of his father’s former comrades came to visit and told him: “You were exposed to Agent Orange. That’s why your children are disabled.”

At that moment, Phuong wanted to die, simply to end his mother’s suffering. Yet he also knew he could not abandon her – the woman who had loved and protected him all those years.

At the age of eleven, he made a decision: to leave his village, become independent, and change his life.

The path towards independence

The love of his parents – along with the pain and rejection he experienced – gave Phuong the strength to leave for the city to learn a trade.

Because of his short stature, no one was willing to take him on at first. So he began observing how lighters were refilled at petrol stations. With the money he had received as a Lunar New Year gift, he bought a few tools and an empty lighter and began refilling those of his neighbours and his father.

As a teenager, he trained to become a watchmaker.

At around 19 or 20 years old, Phuong travelled to Ho Chi Minh City to start an apprenticeship in an electronics workshop. When the owner saw the neatly dressed young man, he called to his wife, joking: “Darling, there’s an alien here – do you think I should take him on as an apprentice?”

After a trial period, the owner handed him twelve boxes filled with different screws. Phuong carefully sorted them all. Impressed, the man said: “What I need is your mind, not your body.”

He offered Phuong a proper apprenticeship – with the same pay as everyone else. Phuong stayed with him for ten years.

Despite all the hardships, Phuong is now a teacher, thanks to his determination and perseverance. He teaches and mentors dozens of children who, like him, have faced hardship and discrimination.

A life of courage

The lives and unshakeable will of Nguyen Ngoc Phuong and his sister, Nguyen Thi Hieu, powerfully demonstrate how, even in the most difficult circumstances, people can find hope and the strength to move forward.

Today, Phuong cares for victims of Agent Orange as well as disadvantaged children and young people at a day centre in Da Nang. The centre, supported by Green Cross Switzerland and run by DAVA (“Da Nang Association for Victims of Agent Orange”), provides a place of safety, learning, and hope.

Not everyone has his strength – and that’s where we come in

The positive turn in Phuong’s life would not have been possible for many others in a similar situation. It was only through his willpower, intelligence, and the unwavering love of his parents that he succeeded.

Yet many other victims of Agent Orange still wait in vain for the help they so desperately need, and their lives often take a tragic course.

For more than 25 years, Green Cross Switzerland has been working in Vietnam in a range of different ways to ensure that these people are not forgotten and receive the support they deserve. Thanks to the solidarity of our donors, we can continue to transform lives – for good.

The photo in this article was taken by Roland Schmid.