Unique lucky money envelopes with a distinct "Nghe An" style.
"The essence of Nghe An," because the lucky money envelopes are printed with sharp sketches of 10 architectural landmarks, cultural beauties, and culinary delights of Nghe An, and also because this is a meaningful art project with a portion of the proceeds going to the charity fund of SOS Children's Village Vietnam. The project was carried out by Tran Hoang Kim (born in 1993) - who was previously featured in the Nghe An Newspaper article "Sketching Vinh City with a love for the city."
In recent days, many young people in Nghe An have been continuously sharing photos of special lucky money envelopes purchased from Tran Hoang Kim's art workshop, along with expressions of delight. In the comments section, everyone is excitedly asking where to buy them, asking for help buying them, and expressing their desire to own this product with a distinct "Nghe An flavor" for Tet (Lunar New Year).
Tran Hoang Kim said that those responses made him very happy. Having moved from Hanoi to Nghe An to start a career more than a year ago, Kim's life has gradually improved: he works as an architect, following his trained specialization; participates in meaningful cultural activities organized by the Nghe An Museum and the Department of Culture and Tourism; owns an art studio with hundreds of students; has built an art-loving group with over 1,000 members; and has organized dozens of outdoor painting sessions with like-minded people… In the art community in Vinh City in particular and Nghe An in general, Tran Hoang Kim has gained some recognition and is loved for his sincerity and passion in preserving and developing the culture of his homeland.
Witnessing Kim's humble beginnings in Vinh City, I clearly felt his hard work, dedication, and commendable initial successes. But for him, that wasn't enough. After his business settled down, Kim wanted to dedicate his time to meaningful charitable activities.
Born and raised in the sun-drenched countryside of Thanh Chuong, and having witnessed many poor, orphaned children in difficult circumstances, Tran Hoang Kim deeply desired to contribute to improving their lives. Kim believed that this long-term aspiration had to begin with small, concrete actions within her capabilities.
The project of creating Tet lucky money envelopes with a strong Nghe An cultural imprint, with a portion of the revenue going to charity for SOS Children's Villages Vietnam, started from that beautiful idea.
The project was implemented in a short time because the core design was based on existing sketches by Kim. Among hundreds of sketches of Vinh City and Nghe An province, Kim carefully selected 10 that vividly depicted iconic architecture, culture, and cuisine: Cờn Temple, Hồng Sơn Temple, Diệc Pagoda, Vinh City Gate, the temple dedicated to Emperor Quang Trung, Vinh Market, the old Quang Trung residential area, the Nghe An Provincial Post Office, Vinh sticky rice, and grilled corn.
“I chose these sketches because these places evoke many memories of history and culture, deeply imprinted with the childhood memories of each person. Sacred destinations, familiar places, dishes imbued with the flavors of the city and the homeland… these have in themselves become the special ‘essence of Nghe An.’ Those who have traveled far will understand this most deeply!” - Tran Hoang Kim shared.
Kim collaborated with a printing workshop that "matched" her sketches to print them onto red envelopes. Although the products were sold with a portion of the revenue going to charity, the producers were not careless in their choice of materials and colors.
Holding in your hand a set of 10 beautifully printed red envelopes featuring artistic designs, the vibrant artwork, subtle color combinations, and harmonious, youthful designs are instantly appealing. The familiar places and beloved dishes depicted in these envelopes are suitable for anyone and create a positive impression.
Kim explained that the purpose of printing sketches of Nghe An's architecture and cuisine on lucky money envelopes is to spread the image of his hometown to friends near and far. He hopes that these small lucky money envelopes will "travel" everywhere, to the South, to the North, and even abroad, so that Nghe An will become more widely known, sparking curiosity to learn more about it and inspiring people to travel and explore it further.
Reportedly, Tran Hoang Kim printed 5,000 lucky money envelopes and sold them all in just over a week of promotion. At the sales point on the pedestrian street in Vinh City, customers who purchased the envelopes directly transferred the money to the bank account of the SOS Children's Village Vietnam Charity Fund. This meaningful gift from Kim to the children of the SOS Children's Village conveys his wish to undertake more meaningful projects in the future, to illuminate the journey of preserving culture and extending his philanthropic work.
