Meeting with Nghe An old farmer who donated 5 million VND to prevent and fight Covid-19

Responding to the call for the whole population to fight the epidemic by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control in Thanh Xuan commune, many people in the commune as well as children far from home have enthusiastically contributed material to join hands with the community to fight the epidemic.

During this campaign, Mr. Nguyen Canh Hoan (52 years old), a citizen living in the commune, went to the Thanh Xuan Commune People's Committee to contribute and support the commune's epidemic prevention fund with the amount of 5 million VND. This act of Mr. Hoan was not only recognized and promptly commended by the local government but also received the consensus and admiration of the people.

Mr. Nguyen Canh Hoan donated money to the Covid-19 epidemic prevention fund in the commune. Photo: Huy Thu

For a mountainous commune with many difficulties like Thanh Xuan, the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance in times of hardship is a long-standing tradition. However, people's contributions and support depend on their strength, their willingness, and the economic conditions of each family.

Accompanying Thanh Xuan commune in the prevention of Covid-19, many households responded by contributing material and money, but Mr. Hoan was the most active supporter. This amount of money may be very normal for a well-off household, but for a farming family with many difficulties like Mr. Hoan, it is a great effort.

Mr. Nguyen Canh Hoan. Photo: Huy Thu

Mr. Hoan is living in Xuan Lan hamlet, about 3km from the commune center. He and his wife have 3 sons. The first son graduated from Vinh Technical University, is married and is working in Dong Nai. The second son is working in Japan. The third son is in 6th grade and is currently living with his wife in the South. Mr. Hoan lives alone at home, only farming 3 sao of rice fields and raising 1 cow.

For more than 6 years now, he has been working as a pig butcher and pork seller at Dang market, Thanh Xuan commune. Every day, he wakes up at 3am to butcher pigs, boils water, shaves the hair, cleans the intestines, and then transports the meat to sell. In the afternoon, he drives his motorbike to the villagers to buy live pigs. This work has been going on for many years. “Every morning, I wake up early to butcher pigs to go to the market. Even if it rains and the road from my house to Dang market is slippery, I still do this job. I am used to it and I can’t help but go,” Mr. Hoan shared.

Mr. Hoan's family house in Xuan Lan hamlet. Photo: Huy Thu

Although he lives alone and is busy with household chores, sometimes his house is so shabby that he doesn't have time to clean it, he is quite diligent and active in farming and raising livestock. Around his level 4 house, there are green cassava gardens, which are in full bloom, planted by himself. In the cowshed, he raises 150 geese. Outside the garden, near the entrance, he built a sturdy chicken coop, raising 250 chickens, equipped with a heating system and careful feeding troughs.

After each day of going to the market, sometimes before he has time to cook, he rolls up his sleeves to open the cows, feed the geese and chickens, clean the barn... Mr. Hoan said: "Some days I don't have lunch until the afternoon, sometimes I have to ask my neighbors to cook for me. I have to work like this to earn an income, I don't like to sit around doing nothing."

Mr. Hoan works as a pork butcher at a rural market. Photo: Huy Thu

Sharing about his donation of 5 million VND to the commune's Covid-19 epidemic prevention fund, Mr. Hoan said: "Every night watching TV shows, seeing the Covid-19 epidemic spreading and causing mass deaths in other countries, I am worried. Therefore, when Thanh Xuan commune called on people to join hands to fight the epidemic, I responded immediately. I took out 5 million VND to the committee to support, calling it a small gift with a big heart, with the wish to contribute a little more material to join hands with the locality to fight the epidemic. Poor people are already poor, rich people are not destined to be rich, reducing spending to help society fight the epidemic, I am still willing."

An old farmer in a difficult area supporting the commune's epidemic prevention fund with 5 million VND like Mr. Hoan is a special thing, making many people in the area interested and respectful. Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu (63 years old), a resident of Xuan Lan hamlet, and also Mr. Hoan's sister-in-law, said: "Uncle Hoan's family also has many difficulties, but he is carefree, open-minded, always thinking of everyone, thinking of the community. Participating in epidemic prevention is the responsibility of the whole people, he supported 5 million VND also because of his sense of responsibility. Personally, I really admire Uncle Hoan's gesture."

In addition to selling pork, Mr. Hoan also actively raises poultry. Photo: Huy Thu

Regarding this, Mr. Nguyen Khanh Thanh - Chairman of Thanh Xuan Commune People's Committee affirmed: In the face of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, as well as the difficulties in epidemic prevention, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and the Commune's Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention have called for the people's cooperation. Mr. Nguyen Canh Hoan is one of the most active supporters, these are noble humanitarian gestures. The local government and the Commune's Covid-19 Prevention Steering Committee have acknowledged and commended the spirit of Mr. Hoan as well as many other people, hoping that people will continue to join hands and coordinate with the forces and the community in the work of preventing, containing and repelling the Covid-19 pandemic.