(VOVworld) – The “Nang Xuan” or “Spring Sun” magazine and the website of the Hanoi Disabled People Association have become sources of encouragement for people with disabilities in Hanoi. The main author and inspiration of these stories is Phan Bich Diep, who is herself disabled. Diep used to work at Radio the Voice of Vietnam and is currently Vice President of the Hanoi Disabled People Association.

Phan Bich Diep was born with a disease that made it impossible for her to walk normally. Despite her handicap, Diep was always an excellent student thanks to the support and encouragement of her family and friends. Diep graduated from high school with excellent marks and won a scholarship to study in the Czech Republic but she elected to study Russian at the Hanoi University of Foreign Studies, now Hanoi University. After graduation in 1980, she began to work in the Russian section of VOV’s Overseas Service. In her 30 years of work as an editor and translator, Diep won the respect and admiration of her colleagues. Le Van Hieu, a former colleague, says: “We worked together for many years. Diep is a wonderful woman, who is always willing to help anyone. Diep never took advantage of her disability to get compassion. She insisted on working as an equal and I really admired her for that. After her retirement in 2008, Diep began to work at the Hanoi Disabled People Association.”

Diep says the years she worked at the Voice of Vietnam enriched her journalistic knowledge and widened her social skills, which has helped her a lot in advocating public support for the protection and care of people with disabilities. Diep says: “Because I had worked at Radio the Voice of Vietnam, the Association’s Executive Committee invited me to join their editorial board. I was very excited and took the job. Although it takes time to edit others’ articles, I always respect their ideas and opinions and try my best to make the stories perfect before printing them.”

Phan Bich Diep (2nd right)

Diep has enthusiastically contributed to projects that protect and support people with disabilities. As the person in charge of the Association’s Spring Sun magazine and news bulletin, she wants to make readers appreciate the contribution to society of people with disabilities and their right to study, work and live equally. Diep and her colleagues write stories that encourage people with disabilities to find hope in themselves and in their future.