Truly deserving of the title "ambassador of the people's hearts".- Lesson 1: The Footprints of Those Who "Carry the Village Burden"
The road leading to Tan Son 6 Catholic village is shaded by lush green trees, with long rows of red flags fluttering in the wind. In the distance, the bell tower of Trung Hau Parish Church rises against the clear blue sky, its resonant chime echoing through the trees, bringing a sense of peace and reverence. Amidst this tranquil setting, the "leader," Tran Ngoc Canh, regularly travels along the village's roads each day, visiting the villagers and addressing even the smallest issues.
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Khanh Ly - Thanh Phuc /Technique:Hong Toai• November 9, 2025
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The road leading into Tan Son 6 hamlet, Van Hien commune, is shaded by lush green trees, with rows of red flags fluttering in the wind on both sides. In the distance, the bell tower of Trung Hau parish church rises against the clear blue sky, its resonant chime echoing through the trees, evoking a sense of peace and reverence. Amidst this tranquil setting, every day, the hamlet's Party Secretary and headman, Tran Ngoc Canh, quietly travels through the hamlets, visiting residents, understanding their needs, and resolving even the smallest issues.
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Quickly leading us on a tour of the Catholic village, Party Secretary and Village Head Tran Ngoc Canh recounted in a warm, deep voice: “Before 2002, the main road in the village was only about 1 meter wide, paved with concrete, overgrown with weeds, and slippery with mud when it rained. The infrastructure was dilapidated, and the people were poor, so building anything was difficult.”
But then, the new rural development movement spread like a refreshing breeze to this countryside, giving the Party Secretary and Village Head the motivation to find a new direction.
He began by mobilizing people to donate land, labor, and resources to expand rural roads, combining state and people's efforts. When the people lacked sufficient matching funds, Mr. Tran Ngoc Canh and his family sold their assets to provide loans for road construction. He also wrote letters and made phone calls to his children and relatives living far away, urging them to contribute to the development of their homeland.
Through collective efforts and socialized funding, every meter of road was widened and straightened; street lighting systems were installed throughout the alleys and neighborhoods; and cultural centers, sports fields, and playgrounds sprang up one after another.
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Those who witnessed the scene of people in Tan Son 6 hamlet traveling through mud years ago would find it hard to believe what they see today: The main roads have been asphalted, and the branch roads have been widely and neatly concreted.
Over 300 streetlights have been installed, along with 6 flag-lined streets and dozens of vibrant flower-lined streets stretching throughout the village. At night, the bright lights illuminate every corner of the neighborhood.
It's not just about the infrastructure, but also about the light of faith and the rekindled spirit of community. The villagers jokingly say, "The paved road, the flower-lined road, the flag-lined road, the brightly lit road – all four roads bear the footprints of Mr. Canh, the footprints of the man who carries the burden of village affairs."
Besides building infrastructure, he also devoted his efforts to beautifying his hometown. Along the main routes, portulaca, chrysanthemums, and petunias stretch out, creating vibrant flower-lined paths. Every tree, every flowerbed, every stone bench bears the contribution of the people, but the core figure, the initiator, remains Mr. Canh.
For many years, Tan Son 6 hamlet has been selected as a model hamlet, a typical cultural hamlet, and a destination for visits and learning from many localities. The hamlet's cultural center is now spacious and well-equipped, with a large grounds, serving as a meeting place and community center.
Children have volleyball and football fields; the elderly have places to stroll and chat. The area in front of the village gate is being completed by him and the villagers, with a decorative stone worth over 120 million VND, a gift he personally paid for a sculptor to create, contributing to the beloved and proud "Tan Son 6 Landmark".
Along with taking care of the appearance of the village, Party Secretary and Village Head Tran Ngoc Canh also focuses on encouraging people to develop the economy. Concerned that the Trung Hau carpentry craft, the pride of many generations, had at one point declined to the point where only a few households still practiced the trade, Mr. Tran Ngoc Canh was determined to "revive the craft village".
He went from street to street, house to house, persuading former craftsmen to return to the trade, requesting support from superiors for loans, and seeking investment projects for roads leading to the craft village. From just a few households initially, there are now more than 40 households engaged in carpentry, creating stable jobs for hundreds of workers.
In 2015, Trung Hau carpentry was recognized as a traditional craft village by the Provincial People's Committee, opening up a sustainable development direction for the locality. "When people have enough to eat and save, they are more enthusiastic about contributing to the common good," Mr. Canh shared.
Therefore, economic development always goes hand in hand with cultural development and strengthening solidarity. The hamlet currently has 36 households and 1,346 inhabitants, of which 115 households are Catholic. Thanks to the transformation of crop structure, the development of services and carpentry, noodle and cake making, and the promotion of overseas labor export, the average income of the hamlet now reaches over 65 million VND/person/year, the poverty rate has decreased to less than 1%, and the solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics remains strong.
Another highlight is digital transformation in rural areas. Tan Son 6 hamlet is aiming to become a "smart hamlet," with each household having a Zalo group to update information, images of activities, and new policies. The public address system is connected to the internet, helping people quickly access news, science, and technology, and discuss village and hamlet affairs together.
The hamlet has also proactively installed 6 cameras at key locations to monitor security and order; not to mention many households have their own surveillance cameras. From a poor rural area, Tan Son 6 hamlet has now achieved advanced new rural standards and is aiming for the title of model, smart new rural hamlet.
This story of transformation is not only the result of collective effort, but also bears the strong imprint of the person "at the helm," Tran Ngoc Canh.
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The early winter air was chilly, the wind rustling through the banyan trees, and the sound of children's laughter echoed from the playground next to the village cultural center. Inside the hall, the Tan Son 6 Party Branch was meeting to discuss the upcoming National Unity Day celebration. Mr. Canh sat in the middle, his kind eyes shining with joy.
His phone rang incessantly, and each time he finished a call, he would laugh: "Mr. A. has donated 10 million, now Ms. B. should contribute another 5 million!" Everyone in the room chimed in: Mr. Canh has a "magical" ability to connect people's hearts. Every movement, big or small, receives a positive response when he takes the lead. This is because he is sincere, fair, dedicated, and transparent – "every penny is the sweat of the people, it must be used in the right place so that the people trust," he stated. That trust has been built over more than 20 years as Party Branch Secretary, Village Head, and People's Council representative of the commune.
In his work, he was persistent, worked scientifically, and possessed a strong sense of "daring to act and daring to take responsibility."
Comrade Nguyen Ba Tan, Head of the Party Building Committee of Van Hien commune, commented: “Comrade Tran Ngoc Canh is an exemplary and dedicated cadre. Under his leadership, the movements in Tan Son 6 hamlet have always led the entire commune. His actions have contributed to strengthening solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics, and bringing the hamlet to comprehensive development.”
The villagers also recounted that, at one point, to fulfill the village's collection obligations, Mr. Canh personally paid the fees upfront and collected them later. He lived a life of integrity and dedication to the people. When electing the new village head, the villagers proposed a show of hands vote, and 100% agreed to elect him. That is an absolute level of trust that few people achieve.
Mr. Canh always kept this in mind:""As a village official, the most difficult thing is to 'win the hearts of the people.' To do that, you have to understand each household and grasp each person's circumstances." Therefore, even after the merger, with a large area and a large population, and the village having hundreds of households, he still knows the names and faces of everyone, knowing who is poor, who is sick, and who is in need of help.
The family of Mr. Nguyen Tat Hanh, where both husband and wife are war invalids and their three children suffer from illnesses, is a prime example. Whenever there are aid packages available, Mr. Canh always prioritizes them, and skillfully works to gain everyone's agreement. "Thanks to Mr. Canh, my family has received care and help, which warms our hearts," said Mrs. Hoa, Mr. Hanh's wife, emotionally.
Besides caring for the well-being of the community, Party Secretary and Hamlet Head Tran Ngoc Canh is also a keeper of the flame of cultural and sports activities. During every festival, he mobilizes his children living away from home, businesses, and philanthropists to contribute to organizing cultural performances and sports exchanges, creating an atmosphere of unity and solidarity. On one occasion, he personally spent nearly 20 million VND to buy flags, lights, and flowers to decorate the community center during Tet (Lunar New Year); the villagers, upon hearing this, were deeply moved and voluntarily contributed more. He was also the initiator of the "Self-governing Group between Catholics and Protestants," where residents from both sides work together to maintain security and order, protect the environment, and disseminate legal information. As a result, Hamlet 6 has been free of social vices for many years, enjoys stable security, and a rich spiritual life.
Rain or shine, his presence could be seen on the roads, sometimes supervising construction, sometimes visiting impoverished households, and other times joining youth union members in planting flowers and cleaning up.
He said:""As a grassroots official, you must be close to the people and work alongside them so that they will follow." Not only is he well-liked by the people, but Party Branch Secretary and Village Head Tran Ngoc Canh is also an "extended arm" of the local government. He promptly and clearly communicates all policies, resolutions, and guidelines to every household.
To party members, he always emphasized the importance of "matching words with actions"; to young people, he encouraged them to "study so they can return and help their homeland"; and to the elderly, he valued "advice as a life experience."
Approaching 60, Mr. Canh remains dedicated and enthusiastic in his community work. The villagers call him "Mr. Canh of village affairs," "the bridge between Catholics and non-Catholics," and "the ambassador of the people's hearts."
When asked about what he cherishes most, he just smiled kindly and said, "My father was a war veteran who fought in the Border Campaign. He taught me that the rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen. I am simply continuing and fulfilling what my father taught me..."
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(To be continued)
