Student of the Vietnamese Therapeutic Massage Training Course in December 2024
Nguyễn Đại Dương, a young man born in 1997, carries a name that means “the vast ocean.” He is one of the 32 trainees who participated in our training course in December 2024 co-organized with the Vietnamese Blind Association. Dương was born and raised in Nam Định, and like many other visually impaired individuals, he has never allowed his visual challenges to hinder his dreams and aspirations.
Born with congenital blindness, Dương did not have the advantage of sight like others. However, he has always nurtured a big dream and chose therapeutic massage as the path for personal growth. After completing high school, Dương began his career at the Da Nang Blind Association, where he was trained basic techniques of Vietnamese “Tam quat” (our local name of massage by blind people). Through hard work and perseverance, Dương has worked in this field for six years, becoming one of the more experienced practitioners in the Association’s studio.
Every day, Dương works for 5 to 6 hours, providing clients with thoughtful and skillful therapeutic massage treatments. He shared that his average income is about 55,000 VND per client (2 USD/hour/client). At the facility he works, he is not provided meals, so he needs to pay 50,000 VND per day for two meals. However, what matters most to Dương is his commitment to ensuring the quality of the service he provides.
For clients who behave improperly, Dương does not hesitate to refuse service. This is important not only for protecting himself but also for maintaining the integrity of his profession and respecting the clients. Dương shared that moving and working as a visually impaired person is a significant challenge, which is why he has chosen not to work in-home massage.
The challenges and difficulties in this profession are inevitable for visually impaired individuals, but Dương believes that each obstacle is an opportunity to learn and grow. He believes that massage therapy not only provides him with a stable income but also brings joy by helping improve clients’ health. His perseverance and love for his work have helped him overcome all the challenges he has faced.
