© Justin Mott

Dang Thi Nu lives with autism in the Friendship Village, near Hanoi, Vietnam.. She is blind, mostly deaf, and she cannot speak. Nu's condition, although complicated and expensive to prove, is believed to be linked to Agent Orange poisoning because her grandfather was exposed to the chemicals while fighting in the American war and her father also suffers from severe mental disorders. Nu often roams the halls of her living quarters, bumping into random objects. Her caretakers or the other children have to put her back in her room where it is safer for her to wander. Although Nu can't see she has taught herself to walk up and down the stairs on her own.

© Justin Mott

Nu's housemother, Nguyen Thi Hien, takes care of her basic hygiene needs by feeding her, bathing her and placing her on a bucket stashed under her bed to use the toilet. The housemothers are understaffed and have received little special training for caring for a special needs child. Nu is often left sitting on the bucket long after she is finished.

© Justin Mott

Nu lives at the Friendship Village not too far from Hanoi. She sleeps on a tiny cot with two special needs roommates who can function independently. Her only belongings are her clothing. Nu doesn't play with toys at all.