Exemplary families

* The humble home of a veteran revolutionary

Mr. Tran Ngoc Bich was born in 1922 into a poor peasant family in Dien Thanh commune, Dien Chau district. Like many other young people in the village, in 1944 he joined the youth national salvation movement (before the seizure of power). In 1945, he was the team leader of the self-defense team in Dien Tien commune during the seizure of power; in 1946, he became the Secretary of the Dien Tien commune's youth national salvation movement, the political commissar of the commune's militia, and was admitted to the Party for his outstanding achievements. From 1950 to 1955, he was an organizational officer of the Dien Chau District Party Committee. In 1956, he was an organizational officer of the provincial transportation department. In 1973, he retired to enjoy his old age. Despite this, he always enthusiastically participated in association work, being an active member of the Dien Thanh commune's Elderly Association. By 1981, his wife's health deteriorated and she went blind in both eyes, and Mr. Ngoc Bich devotedly took care of her meals. Every day, he goes to the market, cooks rice, grinds porridge, and feeds his wife. In the evening, after getting her ready for bed, he lies down beside her and frequently checks on her when she needs to use the toilet, wash up, or change clothes.

Mr. and Mrs. Bich.

Now both husband and wife are over 90 years old, a rare age, but their love remains as deep as ever. Because of this, they have raised wonderful and successful children: their eldest daughter, Minh Ngọc, is a former staff member at the University of Theatre and Film; their son, Trần Văn Đoàn, is an oil and gas worker in Vũng Tàu; their daughter, Trần Thị Vinh, is a war hero who died in 1966; their daughter, Trần Thị Oanh, works at Yên Thành Radio and Television Station; their daughter, Trần Thị Lương, is a teacher in Nha Trang; their son, Trần Văn Tâm, is a traffic police officer in Hà Tĩnh; and their youngest daughter, Trần Thị Hường, is the principal of Diễn Thịnh Primary School (Diễn Châu).

Mr. Ngoc's greatest happiness is simply wishing for his wife to always be healthy and for his children and grandchildren to be successful.

Text and photos:Kieu Nga(Dien Thanh, Dien Chau)

* An exemplary family of educators

Everyone in Quang Tien neighborhood, Hung Binh ward, Vinh City knows the family of teacher Nguyen Hau and Tran Thi Ngoc.

As educators who matured through hardship, in the 1953-1954 school year, Mr. Hau went to teach in Thai Binh, while Ms. Ngoc was still a member of the cooperative in Hung My (Hung Nguyen). After four years of work, he was sent to further his education. Returning to his home province, from a teacher who had never attended a teacher training college, Mr. Hau was assigned to teach at the Provincial Teacher Training College. For many years, he led the provincial Literature teachers' delegation to Hai Phong to compete in the competition, and during that time, the young teacher Ngoc Diep won the title of outstanding teacher, leading the whole country. Afterwards, he was transferred to Do Luong 1 High School, and then to schools in Vinh such as Huynh Thuc Khang, Le Viet Thuat, and Ha Huy Tap. Having served as the head of the subject department for many years, Mr. Hau made many contributions to the Literature subject and the education sector of his province. In the provincial-level competition for outstanding teachers in Nghe Tinh (during the time when the two provinces were merged), Mr. Hau won first place in Literature.

Mr. Hau and Mrs. Ngoc, the married couple.

As for Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc, Mr. Hau's wife, she started as a member of an agricultural cooperative with only a 4th-grade education. After working as a school canteen worker at Do Luong School for two years, she passed the entrance exam to a teacher training college. After graduating, Ms. Ngoc taught at a primary school until her retirement. With a large family, the teachers had clear monthly and yearly plans, actively educating their children to be studious, hardworking, well-behaved, and helpful with household chores – from small tasks to larger ones. Thanks to their careful education, the children were quick-witted, resourceful, and all graduated from university. In particular, their only son was the best student, having been a student in the province's specialized mathematics class, winning a national award for outstanding students, and studying abroad in Poland. He currently works at Vietnam Radio and Television.

After retiring, Mr. Hau remained actively involved in community work in his residential area, serving as the Vice Chairman of the City Poetry Club, concurrently the Chairman of the Ward Poetry Club, and a member of the Executive Committee of the City Association of Retired Teachers, as well as the Chairman of the Ward Association of Retired Teachers.

The teachers' families are recognized as exemplary cultural and sports families every year. During the recent Lunar New Year of the Snake (2013), their children and grandchildren celebrated their 80th birthday, and the family was honored to receive congratulations and gifts from the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, Uong Chu Luu.

Royal Flag(Hung Binh Ward - Vinh City)

A couple with disabilities and a love story that speaks volumes.

Looking at the suits and men's shirts hanging on the racks, and the radiant eyes of the husband and wife who own Huy Hai tailor shop at 20 Truong Van Linh Street (Phong Toan block, Ha Huy Tap ward, Vinh City), it's hard to believe that both owners are deaf and mute. Customers come here not only to find a satisfactory tailor but also to share in their happiness and joy.

The tailor shop owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hai.

Through a conversation with Nguyen Huy Hai, the owner of a tailor shop, we learned that in 1982, while still learning to speak, a life-threatening illness left him completely deaf, preventing him from learning to speak like other children. However, Hai became an increasingly charming boy with a bright face and a particular fondness for drawing.

When he reached school age, Hai was sent to the Provincial Center for Disabled Education. There, he met other disabled people, learned to communicate using sign language, learned to read and write, and learned a trade. These things were a whole new world, a whole new horizon for Nguyen Huy Hai. Having a talent for painting, Hai decided to learn tailoring at the center. Then, fate brought him together with Vinh – a fellow disabled person working at a tailor shop in the city. Their love also weathered many storms because their parents feared they wouldn't be able to make a living due to their disabilities. Overcoming seemingly insurmountable difficulties, Hai and his wife now have stable jobs, but their greatest happiness is their two beautiful, well-behaved daughters, who are just like any other child. Their eldest daughter, Nhu Quynh, who is in 5th grade, often acts as an interpreter between her parents and customers.

I picked up a pen and wrote in the notebook always placed in front of Hai's tailoring table. "So, how's your income? Stable?" Hai smiled and wrote back, "So-so." "Who takes the children to school?" "My wife and I take turns." I wrote again, "Do you and your wife often argue?" Both of them laughed, then gestured to each other, and the wife wrote, "Never." "Do you still draw often, Hai? Who do you like to draw the most?" Huy Hai picked up the pen and wrote two words in large letters: "wife, children."

Text and photos:Viet Long