"Many acquaintances question why I choose this challenging business path? But I think it's okay to just live in peace and help disabled people to the best of my ability," said Ms Ho Thi Huong Thao, owner of Happy Heart restaurant which is located at No. 57 Ngo Thi Sy Street, My An Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District.

Ms Huong Thao supports Mr Phan Tai Toan at Happy Heart restaurant. Photo: XUAN SON

Happy Heart Restaurant is a special venue whose owner and staff are all disabled. Mr Phan Tai Toan, who is deaf and mute, has worked here for nearly 4 years as a versatile assistant of Ms Thao since he can work as a waiter, cashier, bartender. Happy Heart helps him earn for living to cover his family's expenses and it also is a place where Mr TaI can work with his passion for cooking.

A difficult childhood

Ms Thao - a petite woman moving with crutches, is always full of enthusiasm when sharing her story and the Happy Heart restaurant.

At the age of 6, little girl Ho Thi Huong Thao, a native of Dai Quang Commune, Dai Loc District, Quang Nam Province, gradually felt the weakness of her legs after an illness. There was a time when she was hospitalized for more than 3 months, then the wound recurred so her parents took her far and wide for treatment.

“When I was a child, I was so upset when seeing my friends in the neighbourhood going to school, then I begged my parents to let me go there. However, the first lesson was also my last lesson in school due to my health problems. My parents are teachers and pay great attention to their children's education so my father taught me how to read, write, how to calculate numbers. That’s why I call my father the first and only teacher of my whole life”, Ms Thao recalled.

In 2001, Thao began to practice walking on crutches after accepting to lose part of her legs. Although it was difficult, the young girl still tried her utmost to learn to walk so as not to become a burden for her family.

Happy Heart- the restaurant of love and sharing

In 2005, Thao had the opportunity to meet the family of Kathleen Huff - the owner of Bread of Life, a coffee and cake shop having disabled employees in Da Nang, and was allowed to work here.

That time was the toddler days of the young girl as she had to learn everything by herself, from English skills to cooking, serving tables, communicating and sign language. Initially, she was assigned to deliver menus to customers, take orders, and later switched to taking care of customers. Gradually, she became the mentor of the deaf staff and connected them with their families.

Happy Heart restaurant attracts numerous foreign customers. Photo: XUAN SON

Because of various reasons, Bread of Life could not operate anymore so Thao cherished a plan to open a new restaurant to create a new working place for her colleagues. In 2015, she cooperated with a Canadian friend who is also a former guest of Bread of Life to establish Happy Heart.

She hired a chef in Ho Chi Minh City to train, and equip everyone with new recipes from scratch. When the restaurant started to be stable and her Canadian friend returned homeland, she moved Happy Heart's premises to An Thuong Western Quarter in Ngu Hanh Son District and it has operated stably till date.

As shared by Ms Thao, her employees are paid following their capacities and positions in order to help them recognize their ability to earn their own income, realize their self-worth and have a better life.

After two years of being affected by COVID-19, Ms Thao hopes that the An Thuong area will be vibrant and energetic again so that her "brainchild" Happy Heart will have the opportunity to upgrade and develop.

“The restaurant cannot close, I accept losses to maintain the business and let my employees have jobs. Many acquaintances ask me why I choose this challenging business path but I think it's fine to just live in peace and help disabled people to the best of my ability. I don’t want to wait till when I become rich to do it so I do it right now.", Thao smiled with her optimistic and confident attitude.

Reporting by XUAN SON- Translating by T.VY