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Gifts full of love

By DA NANG Today / DA NANG Today
January 27, 2025, 11:00 [GMT+7]

During trips, everyone wants to keep beautiful and fresh memories. And souvenirs are truly meaningful, fully encapsulating emotions when they are made by the hands and minds of special, dedicated people of the land that visitors set their feet on.

Souvenirs highlighting the models of typical buildings in Da Nang are introduced by Ms. Tran My Quyen at the University of Science and Education under the University of Da Nang. Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG
Souvenirs highlighting the models of typical buildings in Da Nang are introduced by Ms. Tran My Quyen at the University of Science and Education under the University of Da Nang. Photo: DOAN HAO LUONG

The magic of talented hands

Returning to Da Nang at the end of the year 2024, Ms. Fuuka Mori, a Japanese national visited a centre sheltering disabled people located in Ngu Hanh Son District. The most impressive and emotional thing was that she witnessed the skillful hands of the disabled children here making Christmas trees out of wool.

“I didn't think those tiny, damaged hands could make such artistic products. My mother would be very happy to receive this meaningful gift with interesting stories about the lovely children in Da Nang.”, Ms. Fuuka Mori said emotionally.

Currently, the Centre for the Elderly and the Disabled under the Da Nang Red Cross Society has 52 disabled children aged 14 - 32. Teachers usually enthusiastically instruct them how to make souvenirs such as brocade bags, wallets, handbags, bags, embroidery and cards.

The health of disabled children is often weaker than that of normal people, so the working time is sometimes longer, but they are more meticulous in taking care of every detail to create the product. It is this meticulousness and patience that creates very beautiful and sophisticated products.

When we visited, the children were rushing to make 300 wool Christmas trees for visitors. Ms. Le Thi Tuyet, the Head of the Professional Department at the Centre for the Elderly and the Disabled, happily said that tourists visiting the centre often buy souvenirs as gifts for their loved ones.

In addition, leading groups of visitors through many schools and language centres also do the same. In addition, volunteer students who come to participate in activities at the centr also actively introduce potential buyers for these lovely souvenirs. 

“Foreign customers show their interest in wallets made from brocade the Northwest-soured materials. Children with severe disabilities can only make simple models so it is more difficult to make those with special details. Anyway, these souvenirs are made by the children themselves, so tourists really like to buy them because they admire their strong determination.”, said Ms. Tuyet.

Currently, in the city, there are many schools and centres that educate children with disabilities to make souvenirs. Typically, the Thanh Tam Private Specialized School has about 300 children with hearing impairments, autism, and intellectual disabilities aged 3 - 18.

After completing their study tasks, the nuns guide them to make cakes, draw pictures and make handicraft items. Many can work as painters and ao dai designers when they become adults.

“The health conditions of the children are at different levels of severity, so the nuns have to observe each child carefully to discover their special abilities and encourage their development. For children with intellectual disabilities, we have to instruct many times when teaching so that they can easily remember,” said Nguyen Thi Tuyet Lan, the Principal of the Thanh Tam Private Specialized School.

Sending love into souvenirs

With her love for Da Nang, Ms. Phan Ngoc Xuan Thao, the founder of the fashion brand Miuk Style, in addition to producing ‘ao dai’ for tourists, also spends much time making handmade souvenirs that prioritize high convenience such as wallets, handbags, wallets, makeup bags, brush bags, stuffed animals, keychains, hand-crocheted wool flowers, fabric hats, headbands, and hair ties.

Especially, when there is a large source of customers, Ms. Thao usually coordinates with the Centre of Research and Community Inclusive Support (CORMIS) to make exquisite products.

 “These products are popular with tourists because they are made by the people of Da Nang themselves. To create unique products, I not only focus on choosing fabric materials, but also make products in combos of the same colour, 5 popular color lines today are blue, green, red, orange and white. The accessories also use soft, friendly, durable and delicate materials such as wooden buttons with attractive patterns. This is what makes tourists excited, especially passport wallets”, said Ms. Thao. 

Many tourists to Da Nang are also impressed by the models of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge, Han River Bridge, Tran Thi Ly Bridge and the Administrative Centre made from bamboo toothpicks by disabled man Hua Van Minh in An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District).

In particular, Mr. Minh’s works are more widely spread and attractive to many international tourists when there is a cooperation order from Ms. Tran My Quyen, the Director of Thinh Minh An Company Limited, and are introduced at many tourism exhibitions in and outside the city.

To make tourists’ trips truly meaningful, Ms. Quyen has cooperated with Mr. Minh to make souvenir products highlighting historical relics such as models of Hoang Sa Exhibition House, Peace Monument, Hai Chau Village Communal House and Hai Van Gate.

“We have to pay attention to the needs of tourists in terms of sightseeing, travel experience and souvenirs. That is why, although there are many best-selling products such as models of the city’s beautiful bridges, we still research and make more models of local historical relics. Through these models, I want to introduce to tourists that Da Nang is not only famous for its bridges over the Han River but also for its historical relics heroic victories", Ms. Quyen said.

Reporting by DOAN HAO LUONG - Translating by ANH THU

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