The charity coffin farm in Hon Soc hamlet, Tho Son commune, Hon Dat district (Kien Giang province) has been operating since 2018. The farm was founded by Mr. Danh On and the Hon Soc hamlet Charity Team. At first, the team's activities encountered many difficulties due to lack of funding. However, after a period of public, transparent and responsible operation, Mr. On and the Team have increasingly received the trust and support of everyone.
Mr. Danh On - Captain of the Hon Soc Hamlet Charity Team - said: "Seeing that many poor households here, when they died, they didn't have a single set of boards, and had to go far away to ask for a coffin, I felt sorry for them, so I established a coffin-making team."
Currently, the Hon Soc Hamlet Charity Team has 12 members, each with a different job and situation, but they all share the same spirit of volunteering. Although busy with their lives, when they have free time, the members gather at the Charity Coffin Camp, each with their own task to complete the coffins. Not everyone can take on this special job.
Mr. Danh Thep, a member of the Charity Team, shared: “The coffin farm aims to help the poor and disadvantaged families who cannot afford to buy a coffin. Whoever comes to ask for one, we will give it to them. When they were alive, they had a hard time, and when they die, they should have a decent coffin.”
Mr. Danh Long, a member of the Charity Team, said: "We contribute to making coffins to help the poor. When they die and don't have money to pay for their funeral, we help them as much as we can."
In 6 years of operation, the Charity Team has supported nearly 300 coffins worth over 600 million VND for people in difficult circumstances. Every year, the Team also sends about 40 coffins to pagodas in Rach Gia city, Chau Thanh district, Go Quao, Giong Rieng, Giang Thanh and An Giang province. At the Camp alone, 10 coffins are always available for those in need. In addition, the Charity Team also contributed 55 million VND to buy 2 old ambulances to transport charity coffins and free medical transfers.
Ms. Thi Lan, residing in Hon Soc hamlet, shared: “In 2020, my family had a nephew who unfortunately passed away due to illness. He was an orphan and his circumstances were very difficult. When I was in dire straits and didn’t know what to do, Mr. On helped me in time, supporting me with a coffin to bring to the temple for cremation.”
Although he is over 70 years old, Mr. On is still full of energy and a tireless working spirit. He still regularly delivers coffins to poor families or supports charity ambulance trips to the emergency room. It is the kindness of this simple, honest, kind-hearted Khmer farmer that makes everyone respect and admire him.
Mr. On confided: “I am old and my strength is limited. I just hope that there will be more benefactors and like-minded people who will continue this work to help the poor.”
Tho Son commune has a large Khmer ethnic group of Hon Dat district, accounting for nearly 35%; Hon Soc hamlet alone is recognized as a particularly disadvantaged ethnic minority hamlet.
Ms. Thi Nhieu, Head of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hon Soc Hamlet, shared: “Seeing that many households did not have money to buy coffins and arrange funerals, Mr. On also started this charity coffin farm and received a lot of support from the locals. Mr. On’s acts of kindness and good deeds to help people and life are recognized and praised. He is also a prestigious person in the ethnic minority area, helping to strengthen the relationship between the locality and the community.”
