For the past 2 days, the house of Ms. Ho Thi Thom (residing in A Rong hamlet, Krong Klang town, Dakrong district, Quang Tri province) has become a gathering place for agricultural products of the Van Kieu people in the neighboring villages.
Ms. Thom said that, watching TV, seeing the severe impact of storm No. 3, she remembered the flood that affected Quang Tri 4 years ago. At that time, convoys of trucks carrying relief goods from people across the country came to villages in Dakrong district to support the people. Worried, she immediately suggested to the women in the hamlet that they should do something to encourage people in the provinces affected by storm No. 3.
So, from September 12, people flocked to her house, some donated cash, others brought agricultural products grown on the fields to make lemongrass bean salt.
“The people here are Van Kieu ethnic people, life is still difficult, many of them are poor households. But everyone has a heart for the flood-hit areas. Those who have less contributed 20 thousand VND, some contributed 100 thousand VND, the amount is not large, but it is a heart, encouraging people affected by natural disasters” – Ms. Ho Thi Thom said.
In the Dakrong mountainous area, in the plains of Quang Tri province, the movement towards the northern provinces affected by floods was also responded by many people.
In Linh Hai commune of Gio Linh district, on September 16, a fundraiser will be held to support people affected by storm No. 3. But on September 12, Mr. Vo Dinh Dung (residing in Vinh Tan village, Linh Hai commune) rode his bike to the commune headquarters, asking to contribute 500,000 VND to send to areas affected by floods.
Ms. Tran Thi Oanh - Chairman of Linh Hai Commune People's Committee said that Mr. Dung is disabled and is a social protection beneficiary. Receiving his support, she was moved, so she took a photo to post on the commune's internal group, and received the attention and response of many people.
“Mr. Dung is severely disabled and his family is near-poor. He works as a mechanic or does whatever he is called to do. He participates in any activities in the commune, which makes us very grateful,” said Ms. Tran Thi Oanh.
In Cua Tung town of Vinh Linh district, the Front Committee of An Duc 1 neighborhood was also moved when receiving 200,000 VND to support the flood area from Mr. Nguyen Van Tien.
Mr. Tien, who lives in An Duc 1 neighborhood, is severely disabled and makes a living by selling lottery tickets. On the morning of September 12, after going to all the shops to sell tickets, he quietly went to the donation collection point for flood victims, and took out a 200,000 VND bill and stuffed it into the donation box. Mr. Tien said that this 200,000 VND was the profit from selling lottery tickets, which he had saved for many days...
In Quang Tri province, from the plains to the mountains, in every locality there are gathering points for goods and donation boxes to support people in flood-hit areas. Each place has a different way of mobilizing, but the common point of the people is that they all turn to the northern provinces - where the storm passed and the floods caused damage.
