Mùa A Thi, an active and committed leader of Háng Pu Xi Village. — Photo courtesy of Thi

Khánh Dương

HÀ NỘI — It was 3am on August 1, 2025. While residents of Háng Pu Xi Village were still asleep, torrential rain and landslides suddenly struck the small community in the mountainous northern province of Điện Biên.

As water began flooding into homes, Mùa A Thi, the village head, was awakened by the ominous sound of cracking earth.

Realising the potential for a serious disaster, he immediately contacted households in high-risk areas, urging them to evacuate without delay.

Despite the stormy conditions, Thi, along with the village Party cell secretary and local militia members, rushed towards the streamside area, calling out and guiding residents to safer ground.

“The village has many children. They were crying,” he recalled.

“I only hoped to evacuate people. I didn’t think about myself. I just hoped there would be enough time to get everyone out of that low-lying area,” he told Việt Nam News.

The evacuation was carried out as quickly as possible and was completed in just 30 minutes.

Thanks to Thi’s sound judgment, decisiveness and courage, more than 90 people from 21 households were safely relocated.

Shortly afterwards, mud and debris cascaded down from higher ground, sweeping away homes in raging floodwaters.

Without the timely evacuation, many of the villagers could have been buried along with their houses.

Among the numerous acts of bravery from young people last year, Thi’s stands out as a powerful example of courage and responsibility, particularly in a year marked by severe natural disasters.

Thi, now 27 years old, was later awarded the First-Class Labour Order in recognition of his actions.

On August 13, 2025, he was one of a number of outstanding individuals from ethnic groups who were invited to Hà Nội to attend a national conference reviewing the national target programme for socio-economic development in mountainous ethnic communities.

In the capital city, he met in person with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, earning praise and encouragement.

Mùa A Thi met Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính at a national conference last August. — VNA/VNS Photo

Earlier this year, Thi was nominated along with 18 other candidates for the 2025 Outstanding Vietnamese Young Faces Award. The award is expected to be presented before the end of this month, which is Youth Month.

Held annually in March by the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, the award honours outstanding young individuals across fields including study, scientific research, innovation, business, start-ups, sports and the arts.

Among this year’s nominees, Thi is the only candidate in the social activities category.

Simple life

Despite his recognition, Thi’s life remains simple, centred around helping locals with farming, repairing and rebuilding homes.

He continues to mobilise support to help villagers stabilise their lives and resume production, while promoting unity, discouraging outdated customs and preserving ethnic cultural identity.

“A village is like a miniature society, so conflicts and disputes are inevitable,” he said.

“The area is small but densely populated. In some cases, when neither side is willing to yield, it becomes very difficult to resolve. In those cases, I have to spend a lot of time thinking and finding ways to mediate so that everyone can reach a consensus.”

Now living in safer areas, villagers have become more aware of the importance of early warning and timely evacuation.

He also helps raise awareness by encouraging locals to follow weather forecasts via mobile phones, television and newspapers.

The young village leader hopes to inspire others in his community.

“I always encourage youths in my village to seek job opportunities in larger cities such as Hà Nội to improve their livelihoods,” he said.

Receiving the First-Class Labour Order and being nominated as an outstanding young Vietnamese person are, for Thi, both a joy and a source of pride.

“Rescuing people is simply the responsibility of a village head,” he said.

“Being recognised by the State is already a great honour for me. I’m very proud, and I will continue striving to do even better.” — VNS