Portrait of Mr Khamphong. | © HI
Mr Khamphong has been living with a disability since 2006 when he lost mobility due to health issues with his leg. HI is supporting him in his cattle breeding activity.
Mr Khamphong lives in Ban Mor, Huameuang District, Houphan Province, Laos. He used to make a living from farming and collecting seasonal forest products to sell and for his own consumption. He was very involved in his community and was even a member of the village security team.
In 2006, at the age of 23, he developed acute gout in his left leg and needed surgery. His health worsened when he developed a post-surgical bone infection in his ankle. Today, at the age of 39, Mr. Khamphong has a deformity in his leg that causes him great pain and reduces his mobility.
He can no longer be a member of his village security and his daily life is fraught with difficulties. He can’t work as much as he used to and so has less income.
HI helps him to compensate for the loss of income caused by his disability, providing him with livelihood support for his cattle breeding activities.
"People with a disability have a much harder life than others. It's not funny when someone mocks you by imitating the way you walk. We can do a lot of things. We just need support to improve our living conditions."
Mr Khamphong.
Despite his limited mobility, Mr. Khamphong has never given up and works hard to support his family. As well as raising cattle, his other dream is to open a motorbike repair shop and earn enough money to support his family.
