The proverb "after the clouds, the sunshine; after the winter, the spring" is a fitting summary of Ms. Tran's inspiring life story of overcoming adversity.
Ms. Tran was born into a poor farming family in central Vietnam. Her parents, who struggled to make ends meet, were forced to send her to live with relatives. She had to shoulder the burden of household chores and babysitting, which led her to miss out on a formal education. Her challenging childhood brought her considerable suffering, but Ms. Tran never complained about her circumstances. Instead, those difficult days forged her strong and independent character.
“Steel is tempered in the fire, and plum blossoms are fragrant in the cold," as Ms. Tran revealed.
During her teenage years, Ms. Tran became an apprentice at a hair salon. The days of working as an apprentice were not easy. While other children her age were growing up in the care of their parents, Ms. Tran had to navigate life independently, never experiencing moments of joy.
Ms. Tran firmly believed that acquiring a skill was crucial for making a living and securing a decent job. Although life was challenging, Ms. Tran never gave up and frequently bounced back from setbacks. Her strong character, indomitable spirit, and unwavering ambition are truly admirable. After years of apprenticeship and hard work, Ms. Tran rapidly improved her skills and became self-sufficient in her work.
In 1966, Ms. Tran married a teacher and had four children. When the Vietnam War broke out in 1955, it initially had little impact on central Vietnam. However, in 1968, the war spread to central Vietnam, and Ms. Tran's hairdressing business was severely affected. With an indomitable spirit, she travelled across various provinces and eventually settled in Saigon, where she successfully continued to run her hair salon until she was nearly 70.
Another accomplishment in Ms. Tran's life was raising her four children successfully. She firmly believed that education changes lives and knowledge determine the future. Despite dedicating much of her time to advancing her career, she never neglected her children's education. They all attended universities and became professionals. Her youngest son, who displayed exceptional intelligence, won a scholarship to study in Australia and eventually settled in Western Australia.
“No pain, no gain" is Ms. Tran's favourite saying. After working hard for most of her life, Ms. Tran finally welcomed a peaceful old age overseas. Although her husband passed away when she was 57 years old, Ms. Tran quickly overcame this grief. In 2009, at the age of 70, she moved to Western Australia to reunite with her two children. In a foreign country, language and cultural differences did not pose a challenge to Ms. Tran. She actively participated in Vietnamese community activities and joined social events organized by Chung Wah Community Care's Balcatta Hub.
Ms. Tran has been a kind and generous person for many years, actively engaging in charitable activities. Now in her eighties, she is savouring her golden years with a grateful heart.
Chung Wah has been servicing the WA community since 1909, dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, Chung Wah CC has over 35 years of professional care experience helping seniors and people with disabilities improve their well-being and better integrate into the community. In 2023, we're promoting our theme, "Embrace, Elevate & Flourish," and building a better community for all.
