Blind man climbs coconut trees to support his family

By Quynh Tran September 25, 2018 | 09:00 pm PT

Sightless since five, 43-year-old Nguyen Van Binh makes light of tasks arduous to most people who can see.

Binh, 43 from Tan Phu Commune in Tay Ninh Province, shared that he was raised up in the less fortunate family, so he was not able to get a full treatment. However, his swollen eyes kept getting worse so the doctor had to remove both of his eyes.He is living with his wife, three daughters and a son. Together, they live in a small house in Tan Phu Commune of Tay Ninh Province which his father left for him.

Binh, 43, of Tan Phu Commune, Tay Ninh Province, said his family was too poor to provide him with proper treatment for measles and he ended up losing his sight.

He now lives with his wife, three daughters and a son in a small house his father left him.

He did not let blindness win over him, and worked hard every day in the past 20 years to support his family. Local residences hire him to climb and harvest coconut during dry season. Even with such disability, he is still able to climb a coconut tree very quickly.Since I was a kid, I have been groping around to help my parents so I became more proficient with my hands, he said.

He did not let his blindness defeat him, and has worked hard for the last 20 years to support his family. People hire him to climb and harvest coconuts during the dry season. Despite his disability, he is able to clamber up a coconut tree quickly.

“Since I was a kid, I have been groping around to help my parents, so I became more proficient with my hands,” he said.

He can use his finger to determine if the coconut is ripped or not. Binh can ear up to VND100,000 a day since he gets paid VND1,000 for each coconut he harvested.

He can use his finger to determine the quality of the coconut. Binh can earn up to VND100,000 ($4.28) a day since he gets paid VND1,000 for each coconut he plucks.

Living by Ho Tin Reservoir, he also learned to catch fish when he was young. So when no one hires him during raining season, he go fishing instead.I have to fish by the shore since water level is high during raining season. I throw the net randomly since I could not see where there are lots of fish. There are times, I could not catch any fish the whole day, he shared.

Living along Ho Tin Reservoir, he also learned to catch fish when he was young. So when no one hires him during the rainy season, he goes fishing instead.

“I have to fish near the shore since the water level is high during the rainy season. I throw the net randomly since I cannot see where the fish are. There are times I cannot catch any fish the wholeday.”

With just his hands, he can distinguish each type of fish and detach himself.

With just his hands, he can distinguish between various kinds of fish and detach them from the net.

At the end of September, he goes out to the fields to collect savanna. Binh shared that the field owners let people harvest the savanna left behind from the first harvest.

At the end of September he goes out to the fields to collect cassava. Binh said farm owners let people take whatever is left after the first harvest.

Nguyen Thi Dep (40),his wife, admitted that this was an arrange married. She shared that she did not like him at first due to his disability. But now, she is gladded that she married Binh because he is a hardworking man who really loves his family.Binh also shared that he got lots of support from his family and from his neighbors who helped him go to work and assists him when he needed.

Nguyen Thi Dep (40), his wife, said theirs was an arranged marriage. She did not like him at first due to his disability. But now she is glad she married Binh because he is a hardworking man who wholeheartedly loves his family. Binh said he gets a lot of support from his family and neighbors, who help him go to work and assist him whenever he needs.

Now I work hard to let my children have a better life, Binh said.

“Now I work hard to ensure my children have a better life,” Binh said.