There was much laughter, singing, and sweet sharing at the 2nd anniversary celebration of the Hoa Da Club of the Student Union of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, which took place on April 18, 2010.The anniversary ceremony was an opportunity to summarize the club's activities over the past two years, commend members with outstanding academic and professional achievements, and provide a platform for interaction among teachers, students, and students with disabilities. The idea to establish the club was proposed by Do Hong Giang (K51 Psychology), aiming to help students with disabilities meet, share experiences, and have a representative organization to express their aspirations in common activities. Hoa Da Club was established on April 18, 2008, and currently has 45 members and a network of collaborators across all faculties. Hoa Da maintains close ties with the Hanoi City Club for Students with Disabilities and several other social organizations. The club has organized life skills exchange sessions with Tam Viet Company; and participated in the "Night of Music to Support Victims of Agent Orange" organized by the University's Student Union. The group organized activities to discuss the academic issues of students with disabilities; held seminars on research methods; exchanged skills and expertise in office administration; participated in training courses on job-seeking skills and soft skills organized by IDEA (Inclusive Development Action Committee); coordinated the "Circle of Friends" exchange program with the Hanoi Student Club for Students with Disabilities; published a book documenting the literary works of its members; and donated books to establish the Hoa Da Library... In the 2008-2009 academic year, Hoa Da was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Executive Committee of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi Youth Union for its outstanding achievements in Youth Union work and youth movements. Cheerful, confident, and unafraid to share their thoughts about life, the members of Hoa Da surprised and endeared themselves to the delegates attending the anniversary ceremony – individuals who, despite their physical disabilities, possess an admirable spirit. These shared experiences were very genuine, ranging from feelings of inferiority, self-consciousness, and fear to everyday anxieties. But above all, these disabled students expressed their desire to integrate into the community, to work, to socialize, to live a useful life, and to be happy. Witnessing these efforts of the Hoa Da members, Mr. Vu Thanh Tung (Chairman of the School's Veterans Association) was moved and called them "heroes in my eyes." Mr. Tung also recounted the inspiring stories of his fellow disabled veterans overcoming hardship and wished them continued effort, more joy, and the fulfillment of their dreams.
