If anyone thinks that a barrier exists between children with disabilities and those who have none, they are mistaken.
In fact, most children see those with disabilities as potential friends with whom they can have fun.
On September 19, a gathering of around 100 kids testified to this feeling.
The evening gathering was held as part of Tet Trung Thu (Mid-AutumnFestival), which is a children's festival and falls on the full-moon dayof the eighth lunar month.
The gathering took placein the yard of a mansion in District 10 where the Disability Resourceand Development is based. The DRD (also stands for Doi Rat Dep) inVietnamese, meaning Life is Beautiful is a local non-governmentalorganisation providing support to disadvantaged people.
Visually and hearing-impaired, mentally impaired and autistic childrenmingled with others from nearby neighbourhoods. They ranged in age fromfive to 13.
The enclosed yard was fully packed withchildren. Their boisterous laughter enlivened the space, while theirhands were gesticulating wildly.
The kids alsospilled onto the passage in the front, which was roofed to provide morespace for kids during a lantern-making competition.
They were divided into 20 groups of five and provided with bambooframes, cellophane of various colours, rayon, scissors and glue to buildtheir own lanterns.
Twenty colourful lanterns ofdifferent shapes, most of them lovely animals like rabbit, peacock,swan, bird along with stars and flowers, were hung up in the air afterthey were completed.
"I wish that all of my friendswere as gorgeous as swans in the Mid-Autumn Eve," explained one memberof a group, describing the significance of their works to the jury.
All of the kids in the groups held conferences to discuss thesignificance of their lanterns, according to Nguyen Thi Loi, afourth-year student specialising in social work at the University ofSocial Sciences and Humanities.
"We just gave them some hints, like what a flower or heart means," she said.
Loi and dozens of other volunteer students were assigned to supervise and support groups of kids.
A flower lantern represented the children's dream to have a beautifulflower to celebrate the festival, while a house-shaped lantern conveyedwishes to live in happiness.
"Every wing of thisfive-wing star represents each of us, as they have our fingerprints onthem," explained one child about his group's work. "It means that whenwe join hands together, we can make a brilliant star."
Tran Thi Ngoc Anh, who is 10 years old and lives nearby, observed thatthe children with disabilities had "fun to the max".
"I approached a cute-looking girl and asked her name," she added. "Butshe just turned back and gesticulated with her hands."
"Even though she knows that I do not understand her language, she did try to reply," she said.
Nguyen Ngoc Ha, 15, who listens and speaks with difficulty and livesat Binh Thanh District's Hy Vong (Hope) School for hearing-impairedkids, said she tried to win the highest prize with her group's lantern,which was in the shape of a fish in the paddy field.
"We love to sing and dance," said Ha, who performed dances and songs tocelebrate the moon and legendary figures who live on it.
The party, performances of lovely songs and dances, a fashion show andparade with lighted lanterns were activities that spiced up a fabulousevening for the kids.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, a teacherof Hy Vong School who accompanied some kids, said hearing-impairedchildren were hungry to mix and have fun with other children.
"They rarely set foot out of school, so they never want to miss a chance like this."/.
In fact, most children see those with disabilities as potential friends with whom they can have fun.
On September 19, a gathering of around 100 kids testified to this feeling.
The evening gathering was held as part of Tet Trung Thu (Mid-AutumnFestival), which is a children's festival and falls on the full-moon dayof the eighth lunar month.
The gathering took placein the yard of a mansion in District 10 where the Disability Resourceand Development is based. The DRD (also stands for Doi Rat Dep) inVietnamese, meaning Life is Beautiful is a local non-governmentalorganisation providing support to disadvantaged people.
Visually and hearing-impaired, mentally impaired and autistic childrenmingled with others from nearby neighbourhoods. They ranged in age fromfive to 13.
The enclosed yard was fully packed withchildren. Their boisterous laughter enlivened the space, while theirhands were gesticulating wildly.
The kids alsospilled onto the passage in the front, which was roofed to provide morespace for kids during a lantern-making competition.
They were divided into 20 groups of five and provided with bambooframes, cellophane of various colours, rayon, scissors and glue to buildtheir own lanterns.
Twenty colourful lanterns ofdifferent shapes, most of them lovely animals like rabbit, peacock,swan, bird along with stars and flowers, were hung up in the air afterthey were completed.
"I wish that all of my friendswere as gorgeous as swans in the Mid-Autumn Eve," explained one memberof a group, describing the significance of their works to the jury.
All of the kids in the groups held conferences to discuss thesignificance of their lanterns, according to Nguyen Thi Loi, afourth-year student specialising in social work at the University ofSocial Sciences and Humanities.
"We just gave them some hints, like what a flower or heart means," she said.
Loi and dozens of other volunteer students were assigned to supervise and support groups of kids.
A flower lantern represented the children's dream to have a beautifulflower to celebrate the festival, while a house-shaped lantern conveyedwishes to live in happiness.
"Every wing of thisfive-wing star represents each of us, as they have our fingerprints onthem," explained one child about his group's work. "It means that whenwe join hands together, we can make a brilliant star."
Tran Thi Ngoc Anh, who is 10 years old and lives nearby, observed thatthe children with disabilities had "fun to the max".
"I approached a cute-looking girl and asked her name," she added. "Butshe just turned back and gesticulated with her hands."
"Even though she knows that I do not understand her language, she did try to reply," she said.
Nguyen Ngoc Ha, 15, who listens and speaks with difficulty and livesat Binh Thanh District's Hy Vong (Hope) School for hearing-impairedkids, said she tried to win the highest prize with her group's lantern,which was in the shape of a fish in the paddy field.
"We love to sing and dance," said Ha, who performed dances and songs tocelebrate the moon and legendary figures who live on it.
The party, performances of lovely songs and dances, a fashion show andparade with lighted lanterns were activities that spiced up a fabulousevening for the kids.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, a teacherof Hy Vong School who accompanied some kids, said hearing-impairedchildren were hungry to mix and have fun with other children.
"They rarely set foot out of school, so they never want to miss a chance like this."/.
