People helping children cross the street at the "crossroads of death"

(Baonghean) -Anyone who has the opportunity to pass through Nam Son intersection - the intersection between National Highway 1A and the road to Quynh Van B Primary School cannot help but be surprised by the image of a man wearing a communal order uniform, holding a flag and blowing a whistle, rushing through the noisy traffic to help groups of students cross the street. He is Ho Van Dieu, born in 1960 in Hamlet 6, Quynh Van - Quynh Luu - Nghe An

"Eat at home, carry the prison and the whole village"

Having joined the army and worked as a coal miner in Uong Bi, Quang Ninh, due to family circumstances, Mr. Dieu had to return to his hometown to take care of his elderly parents. In 1980, the People's Committee of Quynh Van commune assigned him the task of protecting the fields for Nam Son Cooperative. In 2004, when he saw the complicated traffic safety situation, he decided to quit his job as a field guard after more than 20 years to do the daily job of taking students from Quynh Van B Primary School across the national highway. Before his work, there were countless gossips from the villagers and relatives because the job sounded easy but was very busy, had no income and was dangerous. However, out of love for the children, he was determined to do it.

The job seemed simple but it took all day. In the morning he started at 6am picking up the children to take them across the street to school, at noon he picked them up from school to go home, in the afternoon he did the same thing, at 12pm he took the children to school, and at 5pm he took the children home. Every day he had to wait until all the children had crossed the street before stopping. He did his job with full concentration, without any mistakes. Many people did not understand, thinking that he was well-off and had free time to do so, but in fact, his family's situation was very difficult. Apart from a few acres of contracted rice fields, the family had no other source of income. The whole family has 7 mouths to feed, in addition to the couple, 4 children and an old father over 80. Mr. Dieu confided: "To be honest, there are times when I am distracted. I am in charge of taking the children across the street, so I have to rely on my wife for all the big and small things in the house, and my income is not worth much. If before I protected the fields, the cooperative paid me 800 kg of rice per crop, but now with the new job, I only get 260 kg per crop. But the most worrying thing is being misunderstood!"

Before, when there were no flags or whistles, people saw a man dressed in shabby clothes holding a tree branch to help groups of students cross the street. Everyone thought he had a "cold head". His wife and children were also stubborn. However, thinking of the children, the local people advised him, especially the Principal of Quynh Van B Primary School at that time, Mr. Hoang Nguyen Ven (now retired) who often encouraged him... helped him overcome gossip and difficulties to continue with this "special" job.

Mr. Ho Van Dieu helps students cross the street. Photo: Nguyen Quan

And joy...

One day in late September! Quynh Van B Primary School is located a few dozen meters from the national highway. When the school bell rang, hundreds of students rushed out like a swarm of bees. But when they got to the street, the students were very orderly, each group of 10-15 students stood behind Mr. Dieu, looking around. When the horn sounded, the vehicles on the national highway heard the horn and gave way. Holding a flag in his hand, he led the group of students quickly across the street. Just like that, one group after another was led safely across the street by Mr. Dieu, the "liaison".

Talking to reporters, Principal of Quynh Van B Primary School, teacher Nguyen Dinh Dinh shared: "The school has about 100 students from hamlets 3 and 4 of the commune located on the other side of the national highway. Mr. Dieu's spirit of volunteerism and love for children is very valuable. With him on duty, the school is truly assured. The students' feelings towards him are very good. On days when he is sick or busy with something and cannot pick up and drop off, someone will be assigned to replace him, but the children miss him and ask: "Why doesn't Mr. Dieu come?"

In the late afternoon, we visited his family. Over a cup of tea, Mr. Dieu happily said: "My wife now understands my job." Then, happily, he said: "A woman from Ha Nam was very touched when she heard the story. Not long ago, on a business trip to Nghe An, she visited him, gave him 500,000 VND and wished him a long life so that the children could rely on him."

In the past, the "death" Nam Son intersection had students die in traffic accidents almost every year, a nightmare for hundreds of families with children studying at primary school, but now, peace has returned. And Mr. Dieu's meaningful work is known to many people. His small, simple house is full of certificates of merit from the commune, district and province. In 2010, he was awarded a certificate of merit by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for his outstanding achievements in ensuring traffic order and safety in Nghe An province. When Tet comes, his house is bustling with parents and students coming to visit and wish them a happy new year with gifts from the countryside, candy packages, and fruit from their home garden. That is a priceless gift for someone who does this "unique" job.

Thu Huyen