Where it all began
In 1992, seven-year-old Giap was living in one of the poorest rural areas in Vietnam. With vision in only one eye and no access to proper treatment, his future was uncertain. His family couldn't afford surgery, and local doctors believed his condition was too complex to treat.
Then his father heard a foreign eye doctor – Fred Hollows – was coming to Hanoi. It was a long shot, but they took a bus journey of over 170 kilometres, holding onto hope.
A chance encounter that changed everything
Fred and his team were there to treat older children and adults. Giap wasn’t meant to be seen. But his father wouldn’t give up. They waited. And Fred noticed them.
After speaking with Giap and his father, Fred arranged the operation. Just six days later, Giap walked out of the hospital with restored sight – and a new future.
A legacy fulfilled
Giap’s journey didn’t end with sight.
He worked hard. He became the first in his family to attend university. Today, Giap is a maths teacher – sharing knowledge, lifting others, and living the life he once feared was out of reach.
In 2006, he wrote to Gabi Hollows to thank her for inspiring him to be a better man for society.
Watch: A reunion years in the making
Why Giap’s story still matters
Giap’s story is rare – but it shouldn’t be.
Millions of people are still needlessly blind because they can't access treatment. Many are children. Just like Giap.
But we know how to help. We’ve seen it work – in Giap’s life, and in thousands of others across Vietnam and around the world.
From a little boy in rural Vietnam to a respected teacher and father in Ho Chi Minh City – Giap’s story reminds us what’s possible when we choose to act.
Giap’s journey began with someone believing in him. That someone could be you – for another child today.
