In Phu Tam commune (Can Tho City - formerly Chau Thanh district, Soc Trang province), Mr. Tran Cang (104 years old) still painfully cares about difficult lives every day. The story about him has become a beautiful image, spreading the spirit of compassion in the community.
Although he is currently old and no longer travels as much as before, he still closely follows the circumstances of illness and poverty in the hamlet and commune. For him, every unfortunate fate makes him ponder.
I do it with all my heart, just hoping to bring a little warmth to the lonely elderly, disabled children, and poor students. Many people are seriously ill but do not have money for treatment, I feel very sorry for them," Ms. Cang shared.
According to him, the charity journey began in 1986, when he was still participating in social work in the locality. During the process of holding many roles such as Chairman of the Commune Elderly Association, participating in the Fatherland Front, the Red Cross Society, the Association for Promoting Education... he actively mobilized resources to support vulnerable people.
Since 2012, although he has quit his job due to old age, he continues to act as a "bridge" calling on philanthropists and children to join hands to help the poor. With prestige in the community, he has become a reliable address for many philanthropists to entrust their support.
In the past 40 years, he has mobilized more than 17 billion VND, supporting thousands of difficult circumstances. In the period from the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2026 alone, he and the locality donated nearly 2 billion VND and more than 20 tons of rice to people.
Support is distributed to many subjects: elderly patients, poor students who are studious, difficult households, and people in distress. Not only providing cash support, she also mobilized to donate clothes, notebooks, and essential necessities.
Notably, in the period 2023 - 2025, he mobilized support for 30 coffins for poor households with deceased relatives, with a total value of about 330 million VND. On holidays and Tet, dozens of tons of rice continue to be given to people in difficult circumstances. In the two years 2023 - 2024 alone, more than 2,500 people have received rice support.
Not operating alone, Mr. Tran Cang also coordinates with the Association for Promoting Education, the Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and local authorities to award scholarships and support families with people with disabilities and students in difficult circumstances.
While I am still lucid and strong, I will still work. Every day, I ask my children and grandchildren to find circumstances that need help to provide timely support," she said.
According to him, it is transparency and targeting the right people that has created trust for philanthropists inside and outside the locality to support, without naming anyone, just hoping to help the right people.
Although I am old, I still always look towards difficult circumstances and am willing to contribute a little to help people overcome hardships. I hope the locality will develop more and more, people will be less difficult, everyone will be healthy and students will go to school," said Mr. Tran Cang.
Ms. Pham Thi Dao - former Vice Chairwoman of the Chau Thanh District Association for Promoting Education (former Soc Trang province) - said: "We have been attached to Mr. Tran Cang for nearly 20 years. When we come to him, we are all ready to support difficult cases, especially orphans, seriously ill people and lonely elderly people.
And Ms. Tran Thi Hong Liet - former Chairwoman of the Red Cross Society of Chau Thanh district (former Soc Trang province) - said that she also mobilized her family to participate in contributing and maintaining support activities during holidays and Tet, including the Chol Chnam Thmay Tet of the Khmer people.
With persistent contributions, Mr. Tran Cang has received many certificates of merit from all levels and sectors, including 2 Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister and 11 Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of Soc Trang Provincial People's Committee.
