Sisters Dau Thi Thuy, 29, and Dau Thi Bon, 25, have never sat up nor walked since they were born. But they have still lived a life full of happiness and energy.

Thuy and Bon study, spoon-feed each other. They relax by folding paper-cranes.

Thuy and Bon are the 3^rd and the 5^th daughters in a family of six children in Dien Thanh commune, Dien Chau district, in the central province of Nghe An. At birth, their limbs were curled up but at least their handicap was limited to the physical.

The mother, Nguyen Thi Kim, had severe pains in her stomach when she had the third baby. “She is my daughter, regardless. Parents cannot give up their children. We were resigned to bringing her up regardless of the difficulties, Kim recalled.

However, the mother’s pain doubled when she delivered the fifth daughter, who suffers from similar deformities as her sister.

“My husband is a driver. I’m a farmer. My family’s income is modest but we have to spend it all on medicines for our daughters,” Kim said.

While family members are out, the parents put Thuy and Bon on a low flat platform so they can move by their heads and bodies and drink if they need to or relieve themselves. Sometimes the girls suffers great pain. Both girls suffered more after their 16^th birthdays. Their bones stinging in the winter and their spines become more curved by the year.

To ease the pain and hardships on their parents, Thuy and Bon have tried to take care of themselves and they struggle against their disabilities. Their hands may be weak but their will’s are strong and the two girls have trained themselves to do simple work like feeding themselves and reading.

Their happy family.

They have never gone to school but Thuy and Bon learnt to read and write by borrowing notebooks from neighboring children. Since 2005, the two disabled girls have taught themselves to knit woolen items to earn extra income for the family.

Thuy who likes to fold origami paper cranes is reflective about her life.

“Life has many interesting things that we have not had a chance to discover. Each paper crane represents a dream for us. Whenever I fold them I feel very peaceful,” Thuy said.

The sisters have also learned how to make their family smile and feel happy.

Seeing their eagerness to study, the family and their neighbors have helped them to learn using computers.

“Any complex about my disability has disappeared. I’m very happy to have a close family, who always give love and care for us. I will study information technology and English to get a better job,” Bon said.

Thuy and Bon are two of 90 characters in a recent photo exhibition by Nguyen A “They have lived in that way”, which touched the heart of many visitors in Hanoi and HCM City.

VietNamNet/VNE