VietNamNet Bridge – Photographer Do Manh Cuong captured the daily life of special twin brothers who are suffering from albinism in the central province of Ha Tinh.
Cuong is a third year student at the Hanoi-based Cinema and Theatre University, major in television cinematography. He started taking photograph in 2009.
The twin brothers, named Chau Xuan Huy and Chau Xuan Hung, were born in 2002 from a poor family with five children in Ha Tinh.
The twins have to face a lot of difficulty, and especially a feeling of being inferior due to their differences. And up to now they have not received any medical/treatment for albinism.
With permission from the twins’ family and school, Cuong spent time with them, ate with them, amused and played with them like a close friend, and with his camera, shared the same view as them. And that is a different view to the world.
Due to poor eyesight, they spend most of their time watching TV and playing on their bed.
Born few minutes earlier, Huy is the elder brother and few centimeters taller.
Despite being genetically identical, they have different
personalities. Huy seems to be more determined while Hung is more
emotional.
The road from their home to school is being built. Huy is walking on the old road while Hung is running on the new one.
Sometimes they go out to play when the sun goes down.
The enjoy singing and dancing along with characters on TV.
As an elder brother, Huy is always protective and caring.
There is no tapped water in the village so people use water from wells. Their home has no bathroom, and they like to have bath in the open air, next to the well.
If dad and brother are at home, they will get water for the twins, but if they aren’t, no need to bathe!
Huy and Hung usually wake up early in the morning and go to school before sunrise, the other school children often come two hours early before class to hang out.
Having no alarm clock, they will watch TV if waking up too early.
Despite their poor eyesight, they ride a bicycle to school. The road is bad and challenging, which makes their trip become a dangerous bike ride. Fortunately, the bicycle can’t be used now.
Twins can be both alike and different. Hung has blue eyes while Huy’s is pink.
They hardly have conflict or fight, just over kidding and hurt each other.
Their hobbies and interests are different partly.
The boys live with their father and elder brother because her mother now work in Laos.
The family received some charity support to build the new house. It is located in a flood zone so lots of money was spent on the foundation of the house.
Their father and brother are away so they cook meals themselves.
It was long time ago since the last circus troupe came to this village, so just a cycling monkey attracted the attention of all the children here.
On the way home from the circus show. They stopped at a convenient store to buy candies.
They can hardly see things on the blackboard, so try to read the notebook.
It is exciting to know that, thanks to the teachers, their classmates are not scared or discriminate two brothers. Especially, they love Huy and Hung because of their friendliness.
The two pinwheels purchased last night at the circus was cut and cropped to become a cross.
Play soap – bubbles.
At school, there is a small wall slot where students lean against one side and climb up. To Huy and Hung, because of their long limbs, they can’t play this game, so they just stand and watch.
Trithuctre/Hanoigrapevine