Chử Thị Xuyến enthusiastically supports the poor. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

HÀ NỘI — After working for the Women’s Association for more than two decades, Chử Thị Xuyến is respected and trusted by local leaders.

She may be nearly 70-years-old, but Xuyến is as active as someone half her age.

Xuyến works for the Trung Văn Ward Women’s Association in Nam Từ Liêm District in Hà Nội.

During her time she has earned the nickname the ‘beggar’ because no matter where she goes or who she meets, she is constantly asking for donations to help the poor.

And when the cash doesn’t come in, she will dig deep into her own pockets to buy gifts for poor households in the ward.

“I used to be very poor so I understand their circumstances,” said Xuyến. “Now I have enough to live on, so I am happy to help others.”

Right now, she is concentrating her efforts on two particular households in desperate need.

One family lives in Thanh Trì District in Hà Nội. The wife has six children with the seventh child on the way. They raise pigs for a living but are finding things very hard.

Xuyến’s relationship with the family began 20 years ago when the husband asked for food to feed their pigs. They have stayed in touch ever since.

She knows they work hard but cannot earn enough for their daily lives so each month Xuyến gives them 20kg of rice, a box of noodles and VNĐ500,000 (US$22).  

Another family lives in Chúc Sơn Town, Chương Mỹ District in Hà Nội. Xuyến first learned about their plight after seeing a story about them on television.

Since then she has given them VNĐ500,000 ($22) each month for almost two years.

The family has three children and the parents have constant health problems. One child has a heart condition and the other is disabled. Without the regular support from Xuyến, their lives would be much tougher.

Before retiring, Xuyến worked at a brick factory. Her pension is VNĐ4.1 million ($178) per month and she also rents rooms she owns.

She also cleans a local cultural house and cooks in her spare time. That money goes straight into a piggy bank and is saved to help those in need.

Xuyến’s children fully support their mother’s amazing charitable work with her son-in-law once driving to the suburbs of Hà Nội just to save her money buying a bed for a family in need

Nguyễn Thu Hà, chairwoman of the Trung Văn Ward Women’s Association, said Xuyến was famous in the ward thanks to her kind heart.

“Xuyến is a good example for helping the poor in the area,” she said. — VNS