Confessions of a People's Council delegate who was once involved in drugs

(Baonghean) - He used to be a bus conductor, got into drugs, and went to jail, but with determination he successfully quit his addiction, became a youth union officer, was elected by the people as hamlet chief, and a representative of the commune people's council.

For many years, Mr. Phan Duy Sinh (born in 1982), residing in Tan Thai hamlet, Tan Phu commune (Tan Ky), has been known as a model young man who is good at business and active in union activities.

Mr. Sinh is the youngest of four siblings. Although his family is a farming family, his parents always try their best to ensure that their children can study properly. After graduating from high school, Mr. Sinh passed the entrance exam to the Accounting - Accounting department, intermediate level of the Food and Foodstuff College in Hanoi.

Mr. Phan Duy Sinh in his family's high-income fruit garden. Photo: Trinh An

After two years of studying, Sinh returned home with his degree to wait for a job. While waiting, a neighbor invited him to work as a bus conductor. Thinking that he had free time and that the job would help him cover his living expenses, he agreed.

But he himself did not expect that, during his travels on the roads, he would be "hooked" on drugs. Once, when he went to buy drugs for a friend, Sinh was arrested by the police, then sentenced to 4 years in prison for illegal drug trafficking and served his sentence at Prison No. 3, Ministry of Public Security, located in Nghia Dung commune (Tan Ky).

Recalling that time, Mr. Sinh said: The day I was arrested, I completely collapsed, seeing my parents cry their eyes out because of their love for me, I felt extremely remorseful. Then in the first days of entering the prison, I lost my direction, not knowing how I would live in the future.

Because Prison No. 3 is close to his home, Sinh's parents visit him almost every month. Even more fortunately, his girlfriend, Le Thi Huong (born in 1984), not only did not abandon him but also remained close to him, encouraging him to reform well so he could return to his family and society.

Because of his good behavior and active participation in cultural and artistic movements in prison, Sinh's sentence was reduced by 1 year. Then the day of his release came, and his family and lover welcomed him with warm arms. However, his inferiority complex because he had been in prison made Sinh live a closed life, isolated from the outside world. But thanks to the encouragement of his relatives, after many nights of thinking, Sinh was determined to stand up and rebuild his life.

“Three years of mistakes are enough. Seeing my parents old and still crying because of me makes me feel regretful. When I first got out of prison, many friends came to invite me to go out and have fun, but if I let myself go, it would be easy to go back to my old ways. At that time, I told my friends directly and even avoided them,” Sinh confided.

Thinking is doing, Mr. Sinh started by actively participating in local activities. Being dynamic, gentle, and enthusiastic, Mr. Sinh was soon elected as a village youth union officer. In 2009, Mr. Sinh married Ms. Le Thi Huong. The small family quickly welcomed 2 new members. Trusted and loved by everyone, in 2015, Mr. Sinh was elected as the village chief of Tan Thai village.

Also in this year, he was selected to attend a Party sympathy class and was admitted to the Party not long after. “Thanks to actively participating in social work and being in the Party, I have the opportunity to hone myself, gain the trust and support of the people to successfully complete the assigned tasks,” Sinh confided.

Mr. Sinh with his happy little family. Photo: Trinh An

In 2016, Mr. Sinh was elected by the people as a representative of the People's Council of Tan Phu commune. Every day, in addition to his union activities, Mr. Sinh and his wife farm, grow oranges and raise livestock. Thanks to his efforts, every year Mr. Sinh receives Certificates of Merit from the commune and district levels for his contributions to union activities.

In the small house, looking at his virtuous wife and two obedient children, Sinh smiled contentedly. He never thought that a person with a past like his would have such a happy life.

Mr. Bui Duc Thang - Chief of Tan Phu Commune Police said: Mr. Sinh's example of overcoming the past to rebuild his life and contribute to local activities is very valuable. In the work of helping people with past mistakes reintegrate into the community, we always use Mr. Sinh's example to propagate and replicate.

Trinh An