Mid-Autumn Festival brings joy to children with disabilities

Deaf since birth, 10-year-old Le Anh Quan beamed as he hugged a Mid-Autumn gift box and held a star-shaped lantern. “It’s beautiful, I love it” he said softly, his words faint but his smile bright.

Around him, other children eagerly unwrapped sweets and cookies. “There are so many treats today. I’ll save some for my birthday” signed 11-year-old Nguyen Thi Dong Nhi.

They are among 28 hard-of-hearing students at the Quang Nam Support and Inclusive Education Center for Hearing-impaired Children in Dien Ban Dong Ward, where laughter filled the classroom as gifts were handed out.

Founded in 2008 by Australian native Maire McCain, a small class dedicated to children with hearing impairments became an official center in 2020, offering education and vocational training for hearing-impaired children from Hoi An and nearby areas.

The Quang Nam Support and Inclusive Education Center for Hearing-impaired Children currently teaches 28 students aged 9 to 16. Many have studied there for nearly a decade, while others, after learning to speak and hear clearly, have moved on to regular schools.

The center's Director Dong Thi Nhu Lien said that teachers will introduce Mid-Autumn traditions, such as lion dances and gift-giving, each year, making the festival one that the children eagerly await.

On September 30, the children at the center received the gifts and joined in such exciting activities as decorating mooncake boxes and painting their dreams on pebbles, filling the center with laughter.

“The gifts are simple, but we want the children to know they’re not left behind during the Mid-Autumn Festival”, said Le Anh, the owner of Le Anh Bakery, who prepared the cakes herself. “They may not speak like other children, but their eyes and hugs say it all”.

Caring for children with disabilities has drawn growing community support alongside state efforts.

At the Quang Nam Social Protection Center in Hoi An Dong Ward, home to 12 children with disabilities and orphans, preparations for the festival are in full swing. “Besides a trip to Funny Land, we’ll welcome students and organizations coming to visit and give gifts,” said Deputy Director Nguyen Duc Lien.

On October 4, the Da Nang-based Song Han Construction Team brought performances, lion dances, and 100 gift sets for children and the elderly, spreading festive cheer throughout the center.