Le Minh Chau, who struggles with a rare disability linked to Agent Orange effects, wants to be known more as an artist.

Le Minh Chau, the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary “Chau, Beyond the Lines” auctioned two of his paintings last weekend to raise 1,000 USD for Orange Initiative, a project that aims to help disabled people and Agent Orange victims in Viet Nam

Chau is teaching art classes for children and adults. “The documentary has shined a new light on my battle, but I want to be better known as an artist,” said the Ho Chi Minh City-based artist. His next goal is to learn English and to earn a scholarship to study abroad.

Orange Initiative, led by the Ho Chi Minh City Peace and Development Foundation, is a Viet Nam-Japan partnership project. One of its missions is to incorporate into the annual Ho Chi Minh City Run marathon a category for disabled people and Agent Orange victims.

More than 6 million Vietnamese now live with disabilities. Of those a large number are Agent Orange survivors and their offspring. Agent Orange was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program during the Viet Nam War.

More than 6 million Vietnamese now live with disabilities. Of those a large number are Agent Orange survivors and their offspring. Agent Orange was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program during the Viet Nam War.

Donations from the event will be sent to two beneficiary organizations - the Ho Chi Minh City Association for People with Disabilities and Orphans and the Ho Chi Minh City Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin.

Singer Ha Anh Tuan performed with blind students from Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special School.