Esoftflow, a Joint Venture of the Danish Embassy’s Business-to-Business Programme, has been known as an attractive destination for the disadvantaged people, who like working with computer and graphic. If people ask who is the smallest, but not small at all in Esoftflow, everyone would say: “That’s Thao Van”. The little girl weighs only around 20kg and is in a wheelchair, but holds a huge ambition in working with IT and helping other disabled.
Thao Van started with Esoftflow as a photo editor when the company was set up in 2006. She work very well and earns sufficiently for her life. She was the first disabled staff who contributed insights of recruiting the disabled into Esoftflow’s working environment and adjusting the company facilities, including a ramp for people on wheel chairs.
Ms. Thao Van received in 2009 the Chim en-Swallow Award (for individuals with initiatives for community without benefit) granted by FPT and DanTri e-News
Van was born paralytic due to Agent Orange. She cannot stand on her feet or raise her arms up high, however the effort to achieve her dreams may be higher than that of anyone else. Touching the keyboard, Van finds is the key to opening her life to an exciting world of information technology, like her brother who received an IT Knight Award by the Ministry of Information and Telecommunication.
Van and her brother established an IT center named “Will to Live” to provide training in IT, English and life skills for other disabled people. The Centre has trained 600 disabled and 50% of them now have stable job. Van, as the teacher of the center, inspires her dream to the other disabled via simple daily training activities. “It should not be something too complicated and far away. Simple activities can help a lot to the disabled. As for me, it is a success when I can change something such as when I help a friend to be more confident. I feel great pleasure when they achieve this.”
Esoftflow has recruited 9 disabled of whom 5 were trained in Van’s IT Centre. They all find it fun working with Van and with Esoftflow’s staff members. Recently, Van has joined the Global Citizen Programme and cooperated with Vietnamese television and Esoftflow to make a documentary film on her life. “All from Esoftflow sincerely hope that her will to live and pursue her dreams will be an example spreading to the whole world”, Thomas Frisenberg, Esoftflow’s Managing Director expressed.
