Massage Therapy: An Escape from Poverty for Visually Impaired Adults in Vietnam

Relatively little research is available on the wellbeing of the large population of visually impaired or blind adults in Vietnam. Global Volunteers’ partner, Blind-Link, a social entrepreneurship program, professionally trains blind young Vietnamese adults for a career in massage therapy, affording them the opportunity to significantly elevate their lives.  In this interview, two Blind-Link staff describe their trajectory from students to full-time workers. No special skills are required to change a life through English lessons! Whether you have a teaching background or none at all, your patience, enthusiasm and compassion are your greatest resources in simple conversational English classes. You CAN make a difference. Read on to learn how.

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Blind-Link Helps Build Futures

The lack of basic eye care services for people living with visual impairments in Vietnam means students lag behind at school, and often become solely dependent on their families. Only 8% of Vietnamese visually impaired individuals attend school, 15% attend training courses, and 20% have jobs. Many are under-employed. It’s clear that visually impaired children and adults have not been enabled to develop their full potential. That’s the problem Blind-Link was founded to tackle.

Blind-Link and the three private, non-profit Omamori Spas in Hanoi, Vietnam, together prepare young adults who live with visual impairments to become self-supporting massage therapists and service managers. Through innovative training techniques, including English instruction supported by Global Volunteers, the students advance to acquire skills to work at a sustainable, fair wage.

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Nguyễn Thị Nguyệt, Director of Massage Training Program at Blind-Link

At age 33, Nguyet has been a massage therapist for over ten years, “I was born to become a massage therapist, I guess,” she smiled. Nguyet is happily married with a child, and when she talks about her family, she brightens to a radiance. “I didn’t really think of my disability as a hardship until I gave birth to my son,” Nguyey explained. “Not being able to see anything clearly causes a lot of difficulties for me to take care of a baby, especially when he was newly born.”

Before joining the Omamori Spa, she was working as a professional massage therapist as well as massage teacher. Thanks to her skilled massage techniques and her great sensitive hands, Nguyet soon became one of the center’s best therapists. By browsing the internet, she found Omamori Spa. Inspired by the social entrepreneurship model that motives the spa, she applied to teach new trainees.

Nguyen soon after was hired as Director of Massage Training Program of Blind-Link and Teaching, where she trains blind and visually impaired students.

“From the bottom of my heart, I really hope this project will reach more blind and visually impaired young people like me.“

Nguyet, Omamori Spa employee

Historically, massage therapy has been a productive occupation for the blind and visually impaired, she asserts. “From the bottom of my heart, I really hope this project will reach more blind and visually impaired young people like me, bring to them a great chance to learn massage that reach international standards for free,” Nguyet concluded.

Nguyễn Huy Mạnh, Omamori Spa Massage Therapist

“It started as any normal trek in the forest near the border of China and Vietnam, finding mine signals,” Manh remembered. “Our metal detector suddenly beeped. The bomb was covered in debris so we thought it was a kind of metal. The next thing I knew, I was thrown a few feet away. That was the day I lost my eyesight. Thinking back to that moment, I am incredibly thankful. I would have died, considering how close I was to it.” 

Manh said that after losing his eyesight, he lost hope and fell into despair. “I wouldn’t eat, sleep or go out. Why should I?,” he said, adding that he couldn’t escape the overpowering darkness. With encouragement, he joined the blind association in his province, where he was taught Vietnamese massage techniques. “For the first time since I lost my eyesight, I felt two things: hope and confidence,” Manh said.

“Everyone is helpful and kind to me. They understand my circumstances because they have been working with people like me for long time.“

Manh, Omamori Spa massage therapist

Today Manh is part of the Blind-Link Omamori Spa, “Everyone is helpful and kind to me. They understand my circumstances because they have been working with people like me for long time,” he said.

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Teaching Conversational English at Blind – Link

The Blink-Link spa has continued to grow in recent years. Global Volunteers is assisting the effort to improve the skills and lives of visually impaired and blind people in Hanoi by providing volunteers to teach conversational English to its students. “English can help me open new opportunities in my career, work with international massage teachers and clients and share my story with Blind-Link with friends globally,” said Nguyet.

Because 70% of the spa’s clients are foreigners, all staff must speak basic English to communicate with their clients. Young Soldier said it’s been a struggle, but he enjoys the patience and encouragement of the volunteers. “It is hard for me. I can’t control my tongue to make clear sounds so that my clients can understand. Thanks to our native English teachers’ fun lessons, I try to improve my English. I am still frustrated sometimes, but I keep trying.”

Volunteers teach basic English language lessons in groups of two or three students through simple conversations and lively activities for half or full days at Omamori Spa. Volunteers work with small groups to practice phrases that will help them to interact with English-speaking clients in the reception area, on the phone, and in therapy sessions.

You can help visually impaired students learn conversational English to improve their career opportunities. No prior experience is necessary! Learn how to volunteer in Vietnam or consult with one of our expert Volunteer Coordinators to get started.