CPOY 73 International Picture Story Silver: The Generational Legacy of War
CPOY 73 International Picture Story Silver: The Generational Legacy of War
Phuong (pronounced “Foong”) Nguyen, age 39, is a second generation victim of Agent Orange. Phuong stands under two feet tall, has a severely deformed upper torso and suffers from a wide range of health issues. In spite of these challenges, Phuong has dedicated his life to helping others who have been affected by Agent Orange, working full-time at the Da Nang Association for Victims of Agent Orange (DAVA). Phuong dreams of one day being able to speak to the United States Congress; he wants Americans (and the world) to see what Agent Orange looks like and wishes to ask for aid for affected Vietnamese.
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Slide 5 of 8
March 25, 2018
Before beginning to work with children at the DAVA Centre Phuong made his living as an electrician and a handyman. Always one able to “fix anything” he left home as a young man to study under an apprentice in Saigon. After spending 10 years there he returned home to Da Nang to take care of his ailing father and his soon to be widowed mother.
Though Phuong describes the handyman work as a passion he soon felt called to do more for others like him — victims of the defoliant Agent Orange — and found work with DAVA.
Phuong works to fix a neighbor’s fan in the workshop he has fashioned outside of his home; his beloved, custom motorbike sits outside.
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