Dinh Thi Huyen's two-story house sits on a gentle slope in Xa Nay village, Son Nham commune, overlooking rice paddies on one side and the Tra Khuc River on the other. It stands out amidst the small H're community.

Huyen's house for her parents in Xa Nay village, Son Nham, Quang Ngai, 9/2025. Photo: Doc la Binh Duong

Huyen was born a healthy baby, but a serious illness at just a few months old stunted her growth. She spent the first 10 years of her life in and out of hospitals.

After completing 9th grade, Huyen stayed home, helping her parents raise cattle and pigs, and caring for her two younger siblings. Her life revolved around the village, communicating primarily in the H're language, and her Vietnamese gradually faded.

Huyen's life changed when she was filmed by YouTuber Doan Nhu Phu, who runs a channel featuring unusual stories, in 9/2020.

Then 23, Huyen was 90 cm tall and weighed about 14 kg. Her small stature often left her hidden behind pig feed or seemingly "invisible" among the cattle. To cook, she had to stand on a chair at the kitchen counter. Viewers were charmed by the tiny woman, shy and often covering her mouth with her hand as she laughed.

Huyen feeding chickens at her family home in Xa Nay village, Son Nham, Quang Ngai in 2023. Photo: Provided by the subject

Huyen later joined Phu's "Little People Club" in Binh Duong province. She and other little people learned how to create YouTube content to earn money and support their families.

While others launched their channels within months, it took Huyen almost half a year. Leaving her village for the first time, the H're woman found it challenging to adapt. Her Vietnamese was limited, she struggled with the alphabet, and she didn't know how to spell. Learning English, filming, editing, and being in front of the camera were even more difficult. Overwhelmed by the pressure and homesick, Huyen insisted on returning home during the Reunification Day holiday in 4/2021. "I can't learn," she said.

Phu encouraged her, saying, "You can't learn because your head is small. A small head means you learn a little at a time, but eventually, it will be full." Before Huyen left, he gave her more video-making tips so she could start her own channel at home.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Huyen couldn't film, and her family lacked internet access and technical support. The Huyen H're channel was inactive for almost a year. Worried followers left comments, missing the young woman's laughter.

Over a year later, Huyen returned to Binh Duong, determined to be independent, care for her parents, and meet everyone's expectations.

Dinh Thi Huyen, 28, at her home in Son Nham, Quang Ngai in early 9/2025. Photo: Doc la Binh Duong

The H're woman gradually became more comfortable on camera. Along with other little people, Huyen filmed herself everywhere. Viewers followed her first train ride, her trip to Ly Son Island, and her excitement touching ice in Sa Pa. Even everyday moments like cooking for her parents, getting ready for a wedding, or a surprise late-night visit home garnered hundreds of thousands to half a million views.

Two years after launching her channel, Huyen received the "Silver Play Button" (100,000 subscribers). The Huyen H're channel earns her an average of 15 million VND ($640 USD) monthly, with peak periods reaching 50-60 million VND ($2,100-$2,500 USD).

Beyond content creation, Huyen learned online business. With her earnings, she helped her parents buy more cattle, pigs, and chickens to expand their farm. The family's life gradually improved.

During Tet 2024, Dinh Thi Huyen surprised everyone by announcing she would "build a house for her parents." Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ngam, were astonished. Months later, the tiny woman was seen scattering salt and chili peppers into the foundation, a H're tradition for good luck and peace.

A year later, the spacious two-story house with four bedrooms was complete. Huyen designed a pink room for herself with a 1.8-meter-wide bed. The total cost exceeded 1.5 billion VND.

During a recent visit, Doan Nhu Phu was moved by the family's transformed life. The farm had expanded, and the new house was impressive. Huyen had also grown 5 cm taller and gained over a kilogram.

"Despite her earnings, back home, Huyen is still the same humble girl, helping her parents plant sweet potatoes, harvest corn, and tend to the animals," Phu said.

Dinh Cong Reng, head of Xa Nay village, said Dinh Thi Huyen's resilience changed her family's life and also benefited the community. Through Huyen, viewers from all over sent gifts during floods and holidays.

"These days, Huyen is caring for her sick father in the hospital. She's like a little girl, yet she handles big responsibilities and is very filial," Reng said. "Everyone in the village loves Huyen for her good nature, resilience, and small, endearing stature."

Huyen's mother, Dinh Thi Ngam, confessed she once lamented her daughter's condition. Now, she's proud, even finding that her daughter's childlike nature has its advantages.

"Whenever she returns from a trip, she still snuggles up, sits on my hip, and rests her head on my shoulder. I can still nuzzle her chubby cheeks like when she was a child," she shared.

In late August, the family lost 25 pigs to disease, a loss of about 100 million VND ($4,250 USD). Despite this setback, Huyen, with her small hands, declared, "The debt on the house is negligible. I'll work, earn money, and then help my parents rebuild the farm."

Throughout her journey, Huyen is grateful to Phu for his guidance and to her viewers for their support.

"I used to only dream of taking care of myself, but now I see that even someone small can be a pillar of support for their family," the 16 kg woman said.

Phan Duong