Cultivating Harmony in Vietnam: A Spectrum of Disability Embrace
Nestled in the picturesque hillsides of Hue, Vietnam, lies a unique community known as Tinh Truc Gia, or the Peaceful Bamboo Family. This non-profit organization, primarily composed of parents, focuses on community activities that promote inclusivity and environmental education.
At the heart of Tinh Truc Gia is a biodynamic garden, where Ngo, a gardener who has been part of the community for over a decade, has seen a significant shift in his perspective on the garden and the world around him. Ngo's journey began with no experience in working with children with disabilities, but he has since learned the importance of observation in biodynamic practice, using all his senses to observe his relationship with all things.
The community, which includes many residents with cerebral palsy, has a connection to the lingering, generational impact of Agent Orange, a herbicide sprayed by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Tinh Truc Gia focuses on regenerative farming techniques to heal this enduring damage, with practices that align with regenerative agricultural principles, such as vegetable picking, harvesting chestnuts, and strawberry picking during their camps.
Trinh Pham, the director of Tinh Truc Gia, once a receptionist for an upscale hotel, joined the foundation with a mission to create a place that would "take care of those with disabilities through kindness and love and good living." Hanh Truong, the oldest teacher at Tinh Truc Gia, has seen tremendous transformation in the children with disabilities who come there.
Ngan Bui, another teacher at the community, was humbled by her first week at Tinh Truc Gia, learning how to make incense and work in the garden. She has been there for five years and has learned to observe, be silent, and listen deeply. Ngan leads walking meditation sessions in the garden at 5:30 pm, encouraging mindfulness and observation of the natural surroundings.
The vegetables grown at Tinh Truc Gia provide 40% to 70% of their sustenance, depending on the season, and the fruits and tea plants are used to make cookies, jam, and tea products that are sold to the public to supplement the upkeep of the place.
Tinh Truc Gia is more than a practical training center for social therapy; it radiates love and serenity and draws seekers who feel a sense of fate towards it. For Ngo, the gardener, the garden and its inhabitants are a living entity, with everyone and everything being integral to the process of growth and change. He cannot imagine working anywhere else.
In Vietnam, resources are few and far between when it comes to treatments and care for those with disabilities, especially the intellectually disabled. Tinh Truc Gia, through its inclusive approach, educational programs, and collaboration with local NGOs, is making a difference in the lives of those it serves.
[1] Information sourced from various online resources.
- Tinh Truc Gia's unique biodynamic garden, rooted in the natural world, has transformed gardener Ngo's perspective on life and the world around him.
- Trinh Pham, after working as a receptionist in an upscale hotel, sought to create a place where individuals with disabilities could live in harmony with a focus on personal growth.
- Hanh Truong, Tinh Truc Gia's oldest teacher, witnesses the transformation of children with disabilities in the inclusive environment.
- Ngan Bui, a teacher at Tinh Truc Gia, honed her skills in incense making and gardening during her first week, fostering a deep appreciation for observation and silence.
- Ngan conducts mindfulness sessions in the garden, encouraging community members to observe and connect with their natural surroundings.
- A significant percentage of the community's nutritional needs are met through the cultivation of vegetables in the biodynamic garden, with fruits, tea, and tea products providing additional sources of income.
- Tinh Truc Gia is not just a practical training center for social therapy; it is a vibrant community radiating love, serenity, and a strong connection to the natural world.
- The community's approach to regenerative farming helps heal the lingering damage caused by Agent Orange in the region.
- Despite limited resources for treating and caring for individuals with disabilities in Vietnam, Tinh Truc Gia makes a difference through its inclusive approach, educational programs, and collaborations with local NGOs.
- Articles and stories about Tinh Truc Gia can be found in various magazines focused on culture, lifestyle, and community affairs.
- For Ngo, Tinh Truc Gia's garden represents a living, interconnected entity, where everyone and everything contribute to the process of growth and change; a place he cannot imagine leaving.
