People in Vinh Phu commune, Giong Rieng district (Kien Giang) are very familiar with the image of Venerable Danh Quol - abbot of Nha Si Cu Pagoda - who specializes in mobilizing bridge construction, rural roads, solidarity houses and charity work. He is also a prestigious person among the Khmer people, always taking the lead in fundraising movements for the poor and social security.
Vinh Phu commune has a large Khmer ethnic group (accounting for more than 60% of the commune's population). Of which, poor households account for 2.07%, and the village roads are not convenient, so people's travel is very difficult.
Believing that monks are also citizens of the country, they should not only care for their followers but also have responsibilities for the community. Venerable Danh Quol mobilized philanthropists and Nha Si Cu Pagoda to give gifts and health insurance to poor households, and scholarships and books to poor students with a total value of nearly 2 billion VND; mobilized to build 1.3 km of rural roads, and build 4 bridges inside and outside the locality with a total value of over 2 billion VND...
“Over the past 10 years, many poor households that have received support have become well-off households and escaped poverty sustainably. This year, the Association of Patriotic Buddhist Monks and Monks also registered with the district to remove all dilapidated houses for people in Vinh Phu commune. Wherever bridges and rural roads are degraded, we will mobilize benefactors to support rebuilding them so that students and people can travel more easily,” Venerable Danh Quol informed.
Mr. Duong Van Danh, Huynh To hamlet, Vinh Phu commune said: “Previously, my family had many difficulties with housing. With the support of Venerable Danh Quol and other benefactors to build a house, now my husband and I have temporarily stabilized our lives and are trying to make a living together to escape poverty.”
In addition, the Venerable also actively propagated and mobilized people in the commune to participate in building new rural areas; encouraged people to actively increase production, apply science and technology in production, improve and develop the lives of ethnic minorities.
Mr. Danh Phong, the Board of Directors of Nha Si Cu Pagoda, commented: “The Venerable Danh Quol is very concerned about the poor in the area, the children going to school, and the people having difficulty traveling. The Venerable has mobilized to build bridges, roads, build charity houses, give gifts to the poor... In addition, the Venerable also propagates the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and policies to Buddhists on the occasion of Khmer people's holidays”.
Mr. Huynh Thanh Tung, Deputy Secretary and Chairman of Vinh Phu Commune People's Committee said: "In recent years, the locality, together with the Venerable, has mobilized benefactors to support gifts for people on holidays. Building houses, repairing solidarity houses, mobilizing benefactors to build roads... thereby contributing to achieving the criteria for advanced new rural areas in the coming time."
Venerable Danh Quol was trusted to hold the position of Deputy Head of the Khmer Southern Buddhism Committee under the Central Social Charity Committee (under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, 9th term, 2022-2027). For many years, Venerable Danh Quol has been awarded a certificate of merit by the Association of Patriotic Monks and Nuns, and has been recognized and rewarded by authorities at all levels for his outstanding achievements in implementing the emulation movement to mobilize the masses.
