Volunteer leader from Nghe An and his 8-year journey of connecting love
(Baonghean.vn) - As a volunteer leader of Nghe An honored at the "Youth contributing to the community" award 2023, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai in Hung Nguyen district has long been known for his rare kindness after nearly 8 years of persistently implementing volunteer activities.
Warm and affectionate bus trips
It was difficult to have a full conversation with Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai in the days before and after Tet, because he was not only busy with family work but also had to rush to complete volunteer activities for the community.
Few people know that behind that small, somewhat austere figure is a man with a warm heart. He and his friends founded the charity group “Nghe An Heart - 0 Dong Ambulance” to accompany and help hundreds of poor patients in and outside the province.
As a member of the group's Executive Board, Mr. Thai knows almost all the situations that the group has supported and helped. For example, on the eve of the Lunar New Year, an unfortunate accident happened to Mr. Loc Van Hai (born in 1979) in Nam Son village, Chi Khe commune, Con Cuong district.
While working as a hired worker to cut down a meter, Mr. Hai was unfortunately hit in the head by a meter stick, causing a serious injury. To save his life, everyone immediately took Mr. Hai to the Southwest Nghe An Regional General Hospital for emergency treatment.
However, the wound became more serious, the doctors advised the family to take him to Nghe An General Hospital for timely treatment. But the family was poor, the property in the house at that time was only 600 thousand VND, taking Mr. Hai to the city for treatment was really an economic pressure beyond their control.
Knowing about the difficult situation, a benefactor immediately contacted the group's Executive Board. On the other end of the line, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai and the members urgently prepared to depart that very night.
Near the New Year's Eve, when everyone is trying to return to their homes, they are willing to put aside their personal feelings and travel on a long journey to save the lives of people in danger.
That night, we traveled nearly 250 km round trip. Joy spread when that meaningful trip was finally rewarded.
On the 5th day of Tet, the patient’s family informed the volunteer group that Mr. Hai had passed the critical stage and was now entering the recovery phase to be discharged from the hospital a few days later. Upon receiving the news, the members of the volunteer group were overwhelmed with happiness.
However, not every trip has such joy. In the memory of Nguyen Huu Thai, many trips are filled with thoughts and regrets. Like the 3rd day of Tet, the "0 dong" trip departed from Thach Ha, Ha Tinh, carrying an elderly mother over 80 years old to Noi Bai airport (Hanoi) to bring her son's body back to her hometown, heavy with sadness.
That is the pitiful situation of Nguyen Van Quy (born in 1983), whose father passed away when he was only 2 years old, and his family's circumstances were extremely difficult. To escape poverty, Quy decided to go to Angola to work. However, unfortunately on February 2, 2024, he suffered a stroke and passed away in a foreign land.
Understanding his situation, Vietnamese philanthropists living and working in Angola have come together to raise funds to help bring him back to Vietnam. At Noi Bai airport, the volunteer group "Nghe An Heart - 0 Dong Ambulance" arrived promptly. The journey of more than 750km to bring Mr. Quy's coffin back to his hometown was carried out in a meaningful and complete manner.
Those trips marked nearly a year's journey since the group was founded in March 2023.
It is estimated that the group has supported 234 zero-dong bus trips for the poor in Nghe An province and neighboring provinces. Behind that achievement, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai is the silent person who accompanies and supports families in times of trouble and difficulty.
Connect, spread love
Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai's journey of volunteering has been quite long. That journey is associated with the role of a member of the Quang Minh Volunteer Club of Vinh City (from 2017 to 2021), Deputy Director of the volunteer group "Hung Nguyen Compassionate Heart" (from 2021 to present), Executive Board of the volunteer group "Nghe An Heart - 0 VND Ambulance" (from 2023 to present).
In addition to directly accompanying and helping those in difficult circumstances, he plays the role of connecting philanthropists and donors to those in need of help.
In 2021 and 2022, Mr. Thai has been a bridge with benefactors to support people in especially difficult circumstances in the two provinces of Ha Tinh and Nghe An with an amount of 100 - 130 million VND per year.
In addition, from March 2023, in addition to the project "Ambulance 0 VND - Nghe An Heart", Mr. Thai also launched a new activity called "Sponsorship Fund". From this fund, poor students have been given the opportunity to access and study fully.
In the situations he helped, until now, Mr. Thai still cannot forget the situation of two sisters Duong Thi Mai Phuong and Duong Manh Dung (Hamlet 5, Hung Linh Commune, Hung Nguyen District). Disasters continuously struck their family when their father passed away from cancer, not long after that, their mother also had a traffic accident and passed away forever in 2023. Along with that, Duong Manh Dung discovered a cyst in his brain.
Witnessing this great event, Mr. Thai and the Hung Nguyen Charity Group, on behalf of the donors, visited and gave money to support the two sisters. In addition, he also connected with another volunteer group with a donation of 72 million VND; connected with a donor to adopt the two children until they were 18 years old.
Also in 2023, Mr. Thai and the volunteer groups "Nghe An Heart" and "Thien Nguyen Thien Tam" supported the construction and handover of charity houses to 2 orphans in Xuan Lam commune, Hung Nguyen district with a total cost of 130 million VND.
At the same time, he and members of the volunteer group "Kind Heart" Hung Nguyen connected and supported two children Nguyen Ngoc Khai and Nguyen Khanh Linh in hamlet 5, Hung Nghia commune (Hung Nguyen) by giving them savings books worth nearly 17 million VND after their father passed away.
These are just a few of the many situations that Mr. Thai and the members of the volunteer group have supported and helped over the years.
In recognition of these contributions, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province awarded a Certificate of Merit for the period 2021 - 2023 to Nguyen Huu Thai for his many outstanding achievements in volunteer work. At the same time, the Vietnamese volunteer community honored and awarded him the "Youth for Community Dedication" award in 2023. He was also entrusted with the role of a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnamese volunteer community.
I myself have experienced many hardships in life when my father died early, my family's circumstances were extremely difficult. Growing up as an orphan, I understand, sympathize and share with children in the same situation more than anyone else.
Over the past 8 years, I have always held on to the belief that every small action, every kind gesture can spread and warm the hearts of those being helped; thereby bringing them joy and hope on the road ahead.