Better late than never
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I had never thought Ho Chi Minh City was such a vibrant place until I had a chance to see it with my own eyes. Much as I adore its dynamism, I would love to see some of the changes that I think would be outright necessary for the city.
All comparisons are crippled, but to my observations, Vietnam and especially Ho Chi Minh City seems a little left behind other countries in recognizing and meeting the needs of the disabled in public areas and public transportation.
In Lyon, my hometown, people with disability are treated with respect in public. For instance, all buses in Lyon have a small elevator to help wheelchair users get on and off easily. Bus drivers and their assistants would notice right when there is a disabled person about to board. In a queue, people normally give up their places to the disable happily.
In contrast, buses in Ho Chi Minh City are simply not designed with people with disability in mind, and normally stop and go very quickly. Therefore the disabled, especially wheelchair users, would not choose buses as a means of public transportation.
Besides, parking lots and public toilets lack designated areas for them as well.
I have witnessed a disabled young man on a specially designed motorbike being denied entry to a popular coffee shop in the city centre. The staff’s explanation was that they would have to ride his bike to a parking lot but did not know how to (did not know or did not want?).
Ironically, there were a few flashy scooters parked just outside the coffee shop’s door. The young man tried to persuade but the staff relentlessly refused and finally he had to ride away.
At schools and universities, disabled students’ need to have special designated restrooms is virtually unaware of. I have seen none of this basic necessity anywhere I visited. Of course, there are nice students who are willing to help their disabled friends going up and downstairs or getting on a bus.
But who is ready to help a human by intruding into his or her restroom privacy?
There are things we take for granted in daily life that can take a toll on lives and feelings of whom who are less fortunate than us. Although it is already late, I think it is about time to do something about this.
Morgan Mugnier (a student of Idrac Business School, France
and an intern at Ingeserve Groups, District 10, HCMC)
and an intern at Ingeserve Groups, District 10, HCMC)
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