Getting up after falling

(Baonghean) - “One evening in early 2007, I was at home when a friend came and asked me to drive him to the seaside town. Thinking that he needed my help, I agreed.

"When we reached the Sao Nam section of the road, you spotted a middle-aged woman standing near a motorbike, holding a mobile phone in her hand. After being whispered to by a friend, I somehow followed his advice and drove close so he could snatch the phone from her. After that 'fateful' night, I was arrested and sentenced to 24 months in prison for 'robbery'," Mr. NT D. (38 years old), residing in Nghi Truong (Nghi Loc), began his story, recounting his past mistakes. Standing before the court, hearing the judges pronounce the 24-month prison sentence, his legs trembled, his ears buzzed, darkness enveloped him, and it felt like everything had come to an end.

Then, during his time behind bars, encouraged by the prison guards and surrounded by the love and care of his wife and children, he regained his spirits, realized his mistakes, and promised himself to strive for self-improvement so that he could soon be reunited with his wife and two young children. “During my time in prison, I had plenty of time to reflect on myself and the actions I had committed. The most heartbreaking thing was thinking about my two children, who are still in school, lacking their father's care and guidance. My heart ached with remorse. Therefore, I always strictly followed all regulations, strived for good rehabilitation, and worked diligently in my assigned tasks. After two years of rehabilitation, on August 30, 2010, I was released from prison and returned to my family,” D. confided.

Illustration: Hong Toai

Upon his return, with the care and encouragement of his family, relatives, social organizations, and local authorities, D. gradually overcame his feelings of shame and, together with his wife, resolved to start over through honest work. At that time, in the commune and surrounding areas, the service of renting tents for weddings was rarely offered.

Recognizing this as an opportunity to create jobs and earn extra income, he boldly borrowed capital from relatives to invest in equipment, machinery, tableware, a car for wedding transportation, and a sound system to serve families who needed to rent it. After more than four years, his all-inclusive wedding tent rental business has become well-known and brought him a considerable income. This has attracted many local workers seeking employment with an income of 3-5 million VND per worker. In addition, Mr. D and his family also engage in agricultural production and livestock farming, generating tens of millions of VND in income annually.

The turbulent times are over. Thanks to their hard work and perseverance, the couple now have a spacious and well-equipped house, two well-behaved and academically successful children, and serve as an "extended arm" for the local community in crime prevention and maintaining security and order. For many years, they have been selected as a Culturally Exemplary Family and received numerous commendations from various levels of government.

Mr. Dung