To celebrate the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2026), in an exchange with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Dao Manh Kien - Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Chairman of the Trade Union of Vietnam Airlines Corporation (Vietnam Airlines Trade Union) - shared about his journey of more than 30 years of serving Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and the special emotions in each visit to the Mothers.
According to Mr. Dao Manh Kien, Vietnam Airlines Corporation is a business that grew up from the military environment. Therefore, the morality of "When drinking water, remember the source", "Gratitude" is always preserved and promoted as a cultural value throughout the process of building and developing businesses.
Every Vietnam Airlines official, party member and employee deeply understands that today's achievements are exchanged for the great sacrifices of previous generations, including the Vietnamese Heroic Mothers who dedicated their loved ones to the cause of national liberation and defense of the Fatherland," Mr. Kien shared.
Stemming from that feeling, responsibility and gratitude, for many years, along with the task of developing production and business, caring for the lives of workers and fulfilling social responsibility, the Corporation has always maintained activities to show gratitude to people with meritorious services to the revolution. In which, receiving and caring for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers is an activity that is carried out regularly.
Over the past three decades, the Corporation and its member units have taken care of hundreds of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers in many localities across the country.
In Quang Nam province (now Da Nang city), from 1995 to now, Vietnam Airlines has supported 73 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers. To date, 61 Mothers have passed away, and 12 Mothers are still being supported by the Corporation.
Not only maintaining the monthly support regime, the Corporation also regularly organizes working delegations to visit, encourage and express gratitude to the Mothers.
According to Mr. Dao Manh Kien, from April 1, 2019, the monthly allowance for Mothers has been increased from 500,000 VND to 1,000,000 VND/Mother/month, with funding guaranteed from the Corporation's Welfare Fund.
In addition, on each visit, the Corporation gives each Mother 2,000,000 VND from the Compassion Fund and a gift from trade union funds. The value of the gift was previously 500,000 VND/Mother and has been increased to 1,000,000 VND/Mother since July 27, 2026.
These gifts, although not of great material value, are a tribute, gratitude and affection of the collective of officials, union members, and employees of Vietnam Airlines to the great sacrifices and contributions of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland," Mr. Kien said.
What moved the Chairman of the Vietnam Airlines Trade Union the most after many years of accompanying the program was not only the stories about the war, but also the affection that the Mothers had for the working delegation.
Each visit to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers leaves me with very special emotions, because each Mother is a story, a life associated with sacrifices and losses that nothing can compensate for," he shared.
There are meetings that do not require many words. Just a tight handshake, a tearful look or a simple reminder: "You children remember to take care of your health, work well" is enough to make the members of the working delegation speechless and moved.
These simple moments help us understand that supporting activities are not only a responsibility but also an honor for those who are living in peace," Mr. Kien expressed.
For Vietnam Airlines union members, each trip is not simply an opportunity to give gratitude gifts but also an opportunity to listen, to chat and to remind about the values of peace and national independence.
