Nguyễn Trần Vỹ gives the baby ducks to people in Trà Cang Commune. — Photo kinhtedothi.vn

QUẢNG NAM — A teacher in the central province of Quảng Nam has worked tirelessly to help local people in the landslide-hit region stabilise their lives.

Nguyễn Trần Vỹ, a teacher of Kim Đồng Primary School in Trà Mai Commune, Nam Trà My District, established the club 'Love connection' to aid those less fortunate.

Vỹ, who is in his 30s, and other kind-hearted individuals have helped provide school equipment for local students, as well as seedlings and animals for people impacted by natural disasters.

He stayed with people during the rainy and stormy days for more than a month, so he understands the difficulties local people faced and wanted to help those who had seen their houses damaged by floods and landslides.

"Seeing the difficulties that residents in the landslide areas have to face, I am very sad. I call for help from friends and individuals, with the desire to have more money to help people repair their houses and buy animals so they can overcome the difficult time," Vỹ told Kinh tế & Đô thị (Economy and Urban Affairs) newspaper. 

During the floods and storms last year, Vỹ and his colleagues went to villages in Trà Leng and Trà Vân that were isolated by floodwater to help people.

He connected relief groups with local people and authorities so that necessities were given to needy families.

Vỹ's club members also helped people repair houses, schools and roads damaged by landslides.

Phạm Thị Mỹ Hạnh, Deputy Secretary of the Nam Trà My District’s Youth Union District, said all members supported the Vỹ's club with the desire to share difficulties with local people.

Charity groups nationwide have transferred funds to Vỹ to carry out many charity programmes.

Fifty-four schools and their branches were newly built and repaired, with more than 100 classrooms and 60 teacher rooms equipped with televisions and solar power, while 20 houses were built for poor people thanks to support from Vỹ’s club.

The 'Raise the Dream Wings' scholarship fund set up three years ago, sponsored by the club, has granted more than 200 scholarships annually, helping many mountainous areas’ students go to university, with some even finding opportunities to study abroad.

During the Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays, people in Trà Mai Commune were cheerful in their new houses built by the club.

"Before Tết, myself and other members in the Love Connection club raised VNĐ60 million to offer gifts to families and children,” Vỹ said.

He spent VNĐ25 million as New Year's lucky money gifts for 3,400 students at 11 primary schools in Nam Trà My District.

With the rest of the money, he bought seedlings and animals to give to poor households in the district. On February 23, Vỹ's club awarded 15,000 seedlings and 300 pigs to more than 1,000 households that were severely impacted by storms and landslides in Trà Cang and Trà Don communes.

Hồ Ngọc Long, 60 years old, residing in Trà Cang Commune, recently received the chickens from the club. He happily said: “My family lived on a cornfield along the mountainside with a flock of 20 chickens, but landslides buried everything."

“Thanks to Vỹ and his friends for presenting these animals. I will try to take care of the animals to show my appreciation for the golden hearts of donors,” he told the newspaper. — VNS