Lò Thị Tím and the kids at SOS Children's Village. — Photo baotintuc.vn

ĐIỆN BIÊN — Lò Thị Tím, from the northern mountainous province of Điện Biên, has devoted her life to SOS Children's Village, saying that she was absolutely right in choosing this humanitarian job.

Tím, who was born in Na Ka Village, Lay Nưa Commune, Mường Lay Town (Điện Biên Province), was an orphan.

"I deeply understand children who lack parents. In 2009, I voluntarily applied for a job at SOS Children's Village in Điện Biên Phủ City after taking three interviews.”

However, as she was not married, nor experienced in childcare, she tried to learn and understand children's psychology.

The first year she worked at the SOS village, she was assigned to take care of and educate ten children.

“When the children are taken to the SOS village, some are infants, others are new-born babies,” she said.

“They come from many places in Điện Biên Province, from various ethnic groups. Trying to get the children to integrate  is not easy. I have to train them to live a new, harmonious life in the village.”

“I had to cope with many difficulties.”

Being a mother for the first time, she and many other mothers here did not have much experience in child care. Therefore, disagreements between mothers occurred while the children quarrelled and made her feel very depressed at times.

“Many times the children have fever and they get sick. I have to take care of them, and I'm really tired. Each of them has a personality, making me feel pressure and a bit disappointed in my first days as a mother," she said.

Time has passed. Tím has dedicated her youth to the SOS Children's Village, with children that made her feel at peace with her role as a mother.

Although she did not give birth to them, over years of caring, nurturing and witnessing children grow, she has become very happy that she has brought together the lives and unfortunate destinies together, forming a warm family.

Currently, she is nurturing 16 children aged 7-15. She only has a wish that her children develop and become useful citizens in society.

In the last school year, Tím’s family had a child who achieved a province-level excellent-student award in maths, three achieved excellent-student awards at district level, and all remaining children was gaining good results at school.

All were docile, healthy and sociable with friends in school.

In order to successfully complete the task of nurturing children in accordance with the regulations of the SOS organisation, the Law on Child Protection and Care in Việt Nam, she regularly participated in training courses on skills and learnt about children's psychology through books, newspapers and television to find how to raise children suitable for each age group.

With the oldest children in the family, she has collaborated with the education staff to organise meetings to talk about pubertal psychology and study orientation, as well as career direction.

In her spare time, she and the children do housework such as taking care of gardens, growing flowers and vegetables to build the environmental landscape of the village.

"I try to teach them to be diligent, industrious, and bring my love to children.”

SOS Village ensures all children have health insurance cards, are well-developed, and no children suffer from malnutrition, she said.

She and 14 other mothers in SOS Children's Village Điện Biên Phủ are nurturing orphans with the expectation that they can grow up to live full of ambition and enter their future life by their own strength to become useful citizens.

She was awarded the title of “Outstanding Labourer" by the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs for five consecutive years (2015-20).

SOS Children's Village Điện Biên Phủ was put into operation in September 2009 with 14 families. At present, it has 42 staff, and mothers with the number of children being nurtured to 185 children. —VNS