People who preserve traditional culture and spread green lifestyle

Located modestly in a small alley in Van Phuc silk village (Ha Dong, Hanoi ), Vun Art (abbreviated as Vun) is the "home" of more than 40 disabled people - people who have chosen to live beautifully, live kindly, and live usefully for the community with their own hands, minds, and hearts full of love.

- Ảnh 1. — *Jealousy* - Dong Ho folk painting on Vun Art's bag

From scraps of silk to meaningful life paintings

At Vun Art, the main raw material to create products is not new, expensive fabric, but scraps of silk - which other factories consider as waste. In particular, this is scrap silk from the traditional craft village of Van Phuc - the most famous thousand-year-old silk village in Vietnam. Recycling scraps of silk from the craft village is not only a creative way but also contributes to honoring the value of traditional handicrafts, introducing the delicate beauty of the craft village's products to a wide audience at home and abroad.

From those fragments, they create pictures, create patterns on bags, on shirts, and make unique souvenirs and handmade gifts. Every detail, every color block is meticulously arranged by the skillful, patient hands of "special artisans" - people with physical disabilities, deaf and mute people, people with intellectual disabilities, people with mental retardation, victims of Agent Orange or autism.

Looking at the way they work - focused eyes, skillful hands - no one would think that there were people who once could not hold scissors, could not distinguish colors, could not even speak a complete sentence. Yet now, they not only work confidently but also guide students, students, domestic and foreign tourists to participate in handicraft experiences - a unique and humane activity.

Dong Ho folk paintings and environmental protection on Vun Art products

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Tears but not because of pity

Dinh Van Thanh - a mentally handicapped young man - is a living testament to the miracle of kindness. When he first arrived at Vun, Thanh even had to rely on his uncle to take him there. He was illiterate and had to be taught how to eat and speak. Yet today, Thanh can skillfully operate a laser cutting machine - a job that requires high precision and not everyone can do. Thanh rides his bike to Vun by himself, knows how to go to the market, cook, care for others, and most importantly: knows how to take care of his own life.

- Ảnh 7. — Dinh Van Thanh is operating the machine.

Nguyen Van Quang - a deaf mute - used to live completely dependent on his family. Yet now, Quang is the most skilled person at Vun, specializing in handling the most difficult stages, making sophisticated products that make customers admire. For Quang, products are not only labor, but also a language to communicate with the world .

- Ảnh 8. — Nguyen Van Quang is making portraits from scraps of fabric - one of the products that requires technique and sophistication.

Or like Bui Thi Dung, Hoang Gia Bach, a student with a physical disability, mental retardation, a student with autism, who used to be afraid of crowds, used to just want to hide, but today, Dung, Bach can confidently stand in front of hundreds of people to guide how to make fabric paintings, smile brightly when completing a product and even "manage" a small group of students during the experience session.

- Ảnh 9. — Dung confidently guides students through the experience.

Each of them has their own circumstances and pain, but they are all continuing to write their story with a strong will to live and a spirit of not surrendering to fate.

- Ảnh 10. — Vun Art - home to more than 40 disabled people working hard

Spreading green lifestyle - not just a job

Vun Art is not simply a place to teach or create jobs. It is a place to revive fragments, where small pieces of life are put together to form a complete picture of life. During 7 years of operation, Vun has taught and created stable jobs for many disadvantaged women and people with disabilities. 95% of Vun's staff are people with disabilities - people who were once considered a "burden" in their families - now have a stable income, live independently and have a voice in the community.

In particular, Vun Art has recycled tons of silk scraps, helping to reduce the amount of waste from craft villages, contributing to a green lifestyle and sustainable development. If these pieces of fabric were released into the environment, they would cause serious pollution - from smoke from burning garbage, dyeing chemicals to the persistent residue of non-degradable fabric. Reusing silk scraps not only helps reduce the burden on the environment but also conveys a strong message: recycling is not just a trend, but also a green living responsibility of each individual.

With unique products made from scrap fabric, and the service of experiencing making products from scrap fabric that attracts tens of thousands of people every year, Vun Art has been spreading a lifestyle that is friendly to nature, evoking awareness of protecting the planet through simple daily actions. Mr. Cuong - Director of Vun, also a disabled person - said: "We consider spreading a green lifestyle and protecting the environment as the responsibility and mission of every person at Vun."

Seemingly discarded pieces of fabric are being assembled into paintings.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Preserving the soul of folk culture

Not only recycling, Vun Art is also a place to preserve and spread traditional cultural values. Folk paintings such as Dong Ho, Hang Trong, Kim Hoang, Lang Sinh are restored with scraps of fabric, appearing on handbags, T-shirts, wall paintings... in a lively and familiar way.

Incorporating folk paintings into products is not simply an aesthetic element, but also a way of "storytelling" - so that today's and future generations do not forget their origins, do not forget the traditional beauty of the nation.

Someone asked: "Why is Vun Art so loved?". The answer does not lie in sad stories or sympathy. People at Vun do not expect pity. They attract others with love, kindness, the desire to live, the journey of living beautifully and living usefully.

Anyone who has been to Vun, even just once, will bring back something very special. It could be a painting made by their own hands. It could be a meaningful conversation with people who seem "unable to communicate". It could be an experience that makes you realize: green living is not a big deal, but starts with appreciating the little things.

- Ảnh 14. — Introducing Hanoi's landscape to foreign tourists through a fabric scraps collage kit

Vun Art has gone through 7 difficult years. Each year that passes is a milestone marking maturity, a testament to the strong vitality of a community once considered "disadvantaged". They have been, are and will continue to be the ones preserving Vietnamese folk culture - in a very unique way. They have been, are and will continue to be the ones inspiring green living - through recycled products and services from scraps of fabric. They have been, are and will continue to be a testament to the simple but profound truth: "Disabled but not useless" - people with disabilities can absolutely live a useful, creative life and contribute to building a better society.

"Art from scraps" - that is the slogan of Vun Art, the sparkling scraps of fabric and the lives in Vun are also sparkling in a very unique and humane way.

The fifth Living Well Writing Contest was held to encourage people to write about noble actions that have helped individuals or communities. This year, the contest focused on praising individuals or groups that have performed acts of kindness, bringing hope to those in difficult circumstances.

The highlight is the new environmental award category, honoring works that inspire and encourage action for a green, clean living environment. Through this, the Organizing Committee hopes to raise public awareness in protecting the planet for future generations.

The contest has diverse categories and prize structure, including:

Article categories: Journalism, reportage, notes or short stories, no more than 1,600 words for articles and 2,500 words for short stories.

Articles, reports, notes:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 2 second prizes: 15,000,000 VND

- 3 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 3,000,000 VND

Short story:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 20,000,000 VND

- 2 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 4 consolation prizes: 5,000,000 VND

Photo category: Submit a photo series of at least 5 photos related to volunteer activities or environmental protection, along with the name of the photo series and a short description.

- 1 first prize: 10,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 5,000,000 VND

- 1 third prize: 3,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 2,000,000 VND

Most Popular Prize: 5,000,000 VND

Prize for Excellent Essay on Environmental Topic: 5,000,000 VND

Honored Character Award: 30,000,000 VND

The deadline for submissions is October 16, 2025. The works will be evaluated through the preliminary and final rounds with the participation of a jury of famous names. The organizing committee will announce the list of winners on the "Beautiful Life" page. See detailed rules at thanhnien.vn .

Organizing Committee of the Beautiful Living Contest