I first learned about Lavin Home through a post about their paper flower workshop, a traditional craft from Hue. However, what truly sets Lavin Home apart is that all the products and workshops are crafted by individuals with disabilities, including those who are deaf or have brittle bone disease.

Lavin Home is a small yet vibrant space with just one room for homestay, a café and tea spot, a workshop where guests can experience making paper flowers, and a shop selling these beautiful handicrafts.

During my three-night stay at the homestay, I had the chance of talking to N., the owner of Lavin Home. I can’t fully express my admiration for her. She speaks about Lavin Home and the people who work there as if they are her sisters. This familial bond extends to the guests as well, making you feel like a part of their close-knit community. On my last morning, as I was absorbed in painting, I didn’t notice the heat. One of the sisters working at Lavin kindly placed an electric fan beside me so I could continue painting comfortably. Thankfully, I remembered how to say “thank you” in sign language.

N. has created a truly caring circle at Lavin Home, knowing exactly what she wanted to achieve—a safe place for her sisters. This is why she chose to locate Lavin Home away from the city center. I still remember the night we arrived by train, later than expected. N. kept texting to check on us and prepared hot noodle soup for our arrival so we wouldn’t have to venture out late at night.

N. also shared how challenging it was initially to connect with the sisters. She told me how she used cotton buds to cover her ears, so they would feel more equal, and she could better practice sign language to build connections. Now, they share a strong bond, but it wasn’t easy in the beginning. N. even taught the sisters to read, labeling bottles of spices with words like “salt,” “sugar,” and “pepper,” and placing labels around the house to help them learn new words every day.

There’s still much work to be done, but this experience reminded me of a quote I heard from Simon Sinek a few weeks ago: “If you work hard for something you hate, it’s stress. If you work hard for something you love, it’s passion.” I could see the passion in N.’s eyes as she talked about the future for her sisters and Lavin Home.

The workshop began with us learning some basic sign language to communicate with the instructor. She guided us through the first few steps, and we were amazed by our paper flowers later.

During the workshop, we had an idea that our manager loved: Why not create flower bracelets for the girls and pins for the guys using paper flowers? This way, we could support Lavin Home while keeping our flower souvenirs for a long time. Our manager approved the idea—she’s such a sweet person.

I also have another idea that I’ve mentioned to some colleagues earlier. I really hope one day we can switch from fresh flowers to paper flowers for company events and office celebrations. This would help preserve this traditional craft from Hue, support the community, and reduce waste since fresh flowers only last a week.

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This time, I also had the chance to learn about M., though I didn’t speak to him directly. Hearing his story from N. brought tears to my eyes. For days afterward, I kept thinking about these two remarkable people and the impact they’ve made on society. I wish we could do more to create jobs that support Lavin Home, giving the sisters more stable work opportunities.

I hope that what I’ll learn about System Change with Ashoka from another project can help answer my question: How can I contribute on a larger scale and in a more systematic way? How?

I also hope this article reaches readers planning a visit to Hue, encouraging them to check out Lavin Home—not just for a stay, but to explore the beautiful products made by the sisters and to enjoy the workshops they offer. I treated myself to two well-crafted linen tops and a lovely bunch of lotus flowers for my home.”

Thanks for your reading.