Ms Truong, from Vietnam, was born in a war-torn era. When she was 7 years old, war broke out in Vietnam. The plight of ordinary people's lives was extremely hard and self-sufficient at that time. Ms Truong fought for educational opportunities under difficult conditions and eventually became a primary school teacher. She had three children after marriage, and her husband was a lieutenant officer. A well-off home, life is still full of joy.
In 1975, the 20-year Vietnam War finally came to an end. The Vietnamese regime changed and embarked on a process of falling under Communist control. That year, Ms Truong was 27 years old, which was also a turning point in her life. Ms Truong's husband was detained after the war and held in a "re-education camp." The sanitary conditions in the camp were poor and he unfortunately contracted the disease in the camp. He deceased shortly after regaining his freedom in 1980.
Because of the change of regime, Ms Truong could not regain her teaching position. She searched everywhere for different job opportunities to support her family, but she failed. Finally, she ran a small business in local market on her own. Worsened, Ms Truong's two children passed away one after another due to chronic illnesses. She and her daughter had to depend on each other since then. In 1996, her daughter moved to Australia after getting married. Ms Truong had to live alone in Vietnam. It wasn't until 2010 that she was approved to move to Perth to reunite with her daughter and her family. 35 years of hard life finally ended when she arrived in Australia. Ms Truong began a new page in her life when she was in her sixties.
"This peace of mind is my hometown." Ms Truong feels grateful for Australia's comfortable living environment and the government's proper care. She thinks Australia is the right place for her to leave in her late life. Like other newcomers, language and cultural differences are the two biggest obstacles to Ms Truong's integration into the Australian society. But in contrast to what she had been through, she was comfortable with these obstacles. Ms Truong successfully applied for the government's My Aged Care and has then chosen the culturally appropriated services provided by Chung Wah Community Care (Chung Wah CC).
At the Balcatta Hub of Chung Wah CC, Ms Truong has made many new friends and actively participated in social activities of the hub. She is living a fulfilling life and enjoys her wonderful golden era.
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 disability improve their well-being and better integrate into the community. In 2023, we are promoting our theme, "Embrace, Elevate & Flourish" to build a better community for all.
