On November 10, Bui Hoang Tung, 48, a Vietnamese Frenchman, came over to ask HCMC’s Tan Thanh Ward police to look for his aunt, Duong Thi My Nga, 62, after 13 years without any contact.
Tung told vietnamplus.vn that his family has been residing in France. He tried to find his aunt several times, but to no avail. All he knew was that the woman might live in the former Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.
The Tan Thanh Ward police then assigned Captain Nguyen Bao Trung the task of searching related information from the National Population Database and checking any trace of Tung’s aunt in the locality. About one hour later, the police officer found a woman whose personal data matched what the Frenchman had provided.
At 11:30 a.m. on the same day, Captain Nguyen Bao Trung led Tung to Nga’s house to see his aunt for the first time after 13 years out of sight. Tung sent a letter to thank the ward police and the officer for their responsible help.
A teacher in northern mountainous commune
Nguyen Viet Hai, 44, teacher at Dong Van Junior High School in Dong Van Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, has spent 21 years teaching generations of students at this border school in the northeastern mountainous commune.
Born into a large, poor family in Tuyen Quang, Hai had to take on several jobs to continue his high schooling. Such efforts enabled him to enter the local education university. After graduating in 2004, he was appointed to work at the newly established Dong Van Junior High School.
Hai told thanhnien.vn that at that time the school lacked most teaching and learning tools, adding that the majority of students were of ethnic minority groups, and many of them had to travel 5-7km on foot to the school. He and his colleagues often went to students’ houses, also on foot, to encourage them to go to school. He also managed to create teaching tools himself to help students understand their lessons more effectively.
Given his efforts in teaching, Hai was awarded the grassroots emulation soldier title and the province’s best teacher title, as well as certificates of merit granted by the Prime Minister and leaders of local authorities. He was one of the teachers honored at this year’s “Sharing with Teachers” program, which praises the good deeds of teachers, especially those working in remote areas.
Expats help repair embankment in Danang
Following recent torrential rains, the seawall in An Luong, Duy Nghia Commune, Danang City, was severely eroded. The local government and people had to use sandbags and plastic sheets to strengthen the embankment in an attempt to prevent further erosion.
The video clip, in which two expatriates carried sandbags to help repair the eroded seawall together with local residents, went viral on social media, attracting over 2.5 million views and thousands of likes. The video clip was posted by Ho Khac Vinh, a member of a voluntary team supplying meals to those participating in repairing the embankment.
Vinh told dantri.com.vn that the two foreigners came from Russia, adding that they have lived in Danang City for three years now. The two Russians could speak some simple Vietnamese words to communicate with locals. They had volunteered to help repair the sea wall for three consecutive days.
“All local residents participating in repairing the sea wall love these two foreigners,” said Vinh. “Many also asked to take pictures with them.”
Nice stories during Typhoon Kalmaegi
Nhon Chau is the only island commune of Gia Lai Province. In a bid to mitigate the bad impacts of Storm Kalmaegi, young volunteers of the commune’s Youth Union cooperated with the local armed forces to help islanders move their boats and coracles ashore and tie them together before the typhoon arrived.
Local Youth Union members also helped 43 families strengthen their houses against the storm and move them to safer places. They used megaphones to inform islanders how to strengthen their houses and arrange their assets to minimize damage caused by the typhoon.
Nguyen Xuan Hien, secretary of Nhon Chau Commune Youth Union, told thanhnien.vn that after the storm, young volunteers continued to help local people clean up trash and repair their houses and boats, allowing them to stabilize their lives and continue fishing.
In Gia Lai Province’s Quy Nhon Ward, Youth Union members coordinated with local authorities to help fishermen dock their boats at safe wharves, harvest crops, strengthen local residents’ houses and move people in need and their assets to safe places. After the storm, young volunteers assisted residents in cleaning up their neighborhoods.
