Movement to care for poor children in Nghi Loc district

(Baonghean) -With the spirit of mutual love, practicality and efficiency, in the past 3 years, the youth union members in Nghi Loc district have contributed money to regularly take care of children who are children of wounded soldiers, suffer from Agent Orange, and have difficult circumstances to excel in their studies.

In early 2010, Nghi Loc District Youth Union received a letter from teacher Vo Thi Trang Nhung, writing about the difficult circumstances of Tran Thi Hong Ngoc, then a 4th grade student at Nghi Tien Primary School. Ngoc lost her father at a young age, her mother had a severed arm, and her family's circumstances were difficult, but with her determination, Ngoc still tried to become an excellent student. Ngoc's circumstances and the confidences of teacher Trang Nhung moved the officials of Nghi Loc District Youth Union.

Right at the monthly meeting, the content of the above letter was disseminated to the secretaries of the grassroots Youth Union branches, and at the same time, the District Youth Union decided to launch the movement "Youth Union members undertake to regularly care for the children of wounded soldiers, those suffering from Agent Orange, and those in difficult circumstances who strive to excel in their studies". At this meeting, the Youth Union of the Nghi Loc District People's Procuracy decided to support the regular care of Hong Ngoc.

With the characteristics of a youth union with only 6 members, Mr. Pham Kieu Hung, the youth union secretary, proposed that each member deduct 30,000 - 50,000 VND from his salary every month to support and help Hong Ngoc go to school. Accordingly, every quarter, the youth union representative will support her with 1 million VND and regularly encourage and visit her when she is sick and encourage and reward her when she achieves high achievements in studying and training. Up to now, with the support of the youth union members, Hong Ngoc has completed the 6th grade program with comprehensive excellent student achievements and achieved the title of excellent student at the district level. "In the plan, we will accompany and support Ngoc until she completes the high school program. Although the support is not much, it is the heart of the youth union members of the district prosecutor's office," said Mr. Kieu Hung.

Nghi Loc District Youth Union gives gifts to poor students who overcome difficulties to study well.

Responding to the above movement, 10 youth unions in the district have joined hands to contribute to poor students, those with especially difficult circumstances but with determination, striving to achieve high academic achievements. Le Thi Mo, born into a family with especially difficult circumstances in Nghi Thuan commune, has no father, her mother is disabled, has two amputated legs, and her grandmother is old and weak, so in addition to going to school, she has to work hard to catch crabs and snails to earn money for her studies.

In 2010, the Nghi Loc District Police Youth Union took care of this difficult situation. Every month, Mo received 200,000 VND in cash, along with clothes, books and some other necessities. In addition, Mo was also given a bicycle worth 2.5 million VND to go to school. Next, the two Youth Unions of the Procuracy and the Police, and the Youth Union members of the District Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development also contributed money, supporting 500,000 VND/month for Nguyen Thi Huyen, a 7B student at Nghi Thai Secondary School; the Youth Union of the Party and mass organizations of Nghi Loc District received 400,000 VND/month for Tran Thi Tu Anh, a 4th grade student at Nghi Xa Primary School, who lost both parents; the General Hospital Youth Union took care of poor patients with difficult circumstances who were being treated at the hospital; The district's Forest Protection Management Board's Youth Union is planning to sponsor a child in Nghi Hung commune... Many other youth unions also have ways to help those in need, such as providing financial assistance quarterly or annually; and encouraging visits on holidays and Tet.

After 3 years of implementation, the movement “Union members take care of children of war invalids, Agent Orange victims, and those in difficult circumstances to excel in their studies” has helped 10 disadvantaged children gain more spirit, material and determination to continue going to school, trying to overcome difficulties and rise up. In addition, the movement also created a great influence on all Youth Union members of Nghi Loc district.

Mr. Dinh The Tai - Deputy Secretary of Nghi Loc District Youth Union said that the target group for the movement is the union members of agencies and enterprises in the area - civil servants and public employees who are only used to sitting at desks and not really understanding the circumstances of disadvantaged children. The youth union branches also try to do practical and in-depth work. We want the youth union members to look back at themselves and have more positive thoughts, actions and deeds when they come to these disadvantaged but resilient children. In the coming time, this movement will be expanded and promoted more effectively. The disadvantaged students will be accompanied and helped by union members in the district to complete their high school program. When they pass the university entrance exam, they will continue to receive sharing and support in different forms", Mr. Dinh The Tai affirmed.

Not only taking the lead in the movement to support and regularly care for disadvantaged children who excel in their studies, the Nghi Loc District Youth Union members are also always at the forefront of programs to repay gratitude and remember the source of water. Every year, on the occasion of the anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day, the Youth Union branches in the district have practical activities such as lighting candles in gratitude, offering incense and flowers at martyrs’ cemeteries, visiting and giving gifts to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, wounded and sick soldiers, relatives of martyrs and families with meritorious services to the revolution in the district. At the end of March 2013, the Nghi Loc District Youth Union members also contributed more than 50 million VND and organized a program to give gifts to the Dan Lai ethnic people...

Article and photos: Nguyen Khoa