Agent Orange (AO) infected Nguyen Thi Ly, 21, dwelling in residential group 28, Hoa Quy Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District), has never been defeated by her unfortunate fate. Ly is currently a second-year student at the Faculty of Accounting, the city-based Duy Tan University.

Student Nguyen Thi Ly does homework. Photo: LE VAN THOM

Veteran Le Duy Tin - Ly's grandfather, from Ha Tinh Province, for many years participated in the resistance war against the U.S. troops on the southern battlefield and was infected with AO.

That dangerous poison was transmitted from the grandfather to Ly's mother, then to Ly. When Ly was born, she had a deformed, unusual face. Growing up, Ly's voice and gait was not like her peers.

Ly’s first years at school were a struggle because her ability to absorb was inferior to her classmates. In any class, Ly was eligible for seats in the first row so that she could easily access care and tutor from the homeroom teacher.

From average academic result due to her health problems, the strong-willed girl made a fairly continuous academic performance from grade 9 to 12.

In 2020, Ly graduated from the Vo Chi Cong Senior High School, Ngu Hanh Son District with good grades and was directly admitted into the Duy Tan University. The school management board arranged Ly to study in class K26KKT2 belong to the  Faculty of Accounting as per her wishes.

For many years now, Ly has been supported by classmate Truong Thi My Linh on way to school as well as during her studies. Despite academic challenges and enormous difficulties in life, Ly has always strived to keep up with the undergraduate courses.

Over the past years, Ly's way to school has been arduous and difficult due to unexpected blows coming into her life. Ly's father who worked as a bricklayer, unfortunately fell seriously ill and could not work. He has been treated in many hospitals for six years and passed away two years ago. Meanwhile, Ly's mother now works as a sanitation worker at the Tam Tri Hospital, Cam Le District.

Nearly 10 years ago, the Da Nang Red Cross Society donated the fundings to the building of a house for Ly’s family. For the time being, due to the ravage of time, the house has downgraded.

Mr. Phan Thao, the leader of residential group 28, said: "Ly's family currently has 3 people, including 2 AO victims. The three tried their best, but they are still poor”.

Still battling with the aftermaths of AO, Ly has strived to overcome any troubles day by day with the strong desire to graduate from school and find a suitable job and live a useful life. Sometimes, some people cast doubt on Ly’s study ability, but she has always made them feel as if she were neither handicapped nor a victim of AO.

Talking about this special female student, Member of the Executive Committee of the Da Nang Association of AO/dioxin Victims Tran Thi Hong said, “Ly is the only AO victim in Da Nang to study at university. Despite her abnormalities, limited health and poor family, Ly never surrenders to her fate and persistently strives to rise up on the education path”. This is a special person who always willed herself to overcome the pain of AO and have a meaningful life.

Reporting by LE VAN THOM – Translating by A.THU