Healing the Wounded Heart is a fair-trade shop founded by the U.S. non-profit organization SPIRAL Foundation. It opened in 2009 in cooperation with the Hue College of Medicine and Pharmacy’s Office of Genetic Counseling and Disabled Children. Employing disabled and disadvantaged people, the shop sells products made from recycled materials and traditional Vietnamese textiles.

The shop has now expanded and opened a tea house for tourists and locals alike to enjoy a cup of tea while relaxing in the cool, peaceful place. Moreover, the shop donates half of its sales to fund heart surgeries. That makes the place extra special.Not wanting to be like any other teahouses around, Healing the Wounded Heart’s Tea Room serves Hue teas, including one-of-a-kind mixtures like flower tea, a concoction of edible fruits and flowers.

The tea room also offers Hue me xung (sesame sweets) and other local Vietnamese delicacies.To further solidify their status as a genuine tea shop, most of the staff have been trained in traditional Vietnamese tea ceremonies. And though majority of the workers are hearing-impaired, they are unbelievably good at communicating with their customers. Moreover, since the shop donates its income for a good cause, the employees no longer feel disabled but in fact empowered to be able to help other people who are more in need.

To date, Healing the Wounded Heart has 16 disabled artisans employed in ${bigcity_Hue:"Hue"}, providing them not only work but also medical insurance, housing, daily meal, and even recreational allowance. Moreover, they are trained in tailoring, basket-weaving and other crafts.

Healing the Wounded Heart trade fair shop and tea room are located at Vo Thi Sau Street. But their products can also be found at SPIRAL Foundation fundraisers and retail outlets in selected local hotels and even in the United States.