In the most difficult, arduous, and painful times, resilience, love, care, and humanity shine brightly. Because in each person, there are still the two sacred words "compatriots".
Since we were children, we have learned that Vietnam is a country with a geographical location that is heavily affected by unusual weather, especially storms and floods. That harshness has been reflected in the familiar song “blocking storms in the morning, blocking the sun and fire in the afternoon”. It is also because of the harshness that miracles bloom from people’s hearts: love, sharing and the spirit of caring for fellow countrymen have become an indispensable part of the Vietnamese people.
Storms and floods do not discriminate between rich and poor, and do not care about the strong and the weak. But as soon as news of flooded villages and collapsed roofs spread, people from all over the country turned to the disaster-stricken areas with all their hearts. Trucks loaded with necessities stretched for kilometers, and those who were not rich were willing to skip meals to save some rice and salt to send to the storm-hit areas. All of this was done out of compassion and understanding that, today, if someone is in trouble, tomorrow they might be the ones in need of help.
Not only material things, humanity in storms and floods is also shown through timely and dedicated relief actions. There are silent heroes, rescuers who do not mind the wind and rain, overcoming each fierce wave to bring people out of danger. There are ordinary people who voluntarily turn their homes into temporary shelters for dozens of other families, without asking for conditions or rewards.
The solidarity of Vietnamese people during the storm and flood was also demonstrated through solidarity. When difficulties arose, all small grudges between people suddenly disappeared. People from the city, the countryside, the old and the young, men and women, everyone was willing to join hands to contribute, regardless of class or social status. On social networks, information calling for help spread rapidly. From celebrities to ordinary people, all were united in the same heartbeat of love and sharing.
Storms and floods can destroy many things, but they cannot wipe out the resilience and solidarity of the Vietnamese people. After the storms, people not only see the loss but also feel more deeply the value of love and compassion. Storms and floods pass, leaving behind devastated lives, but at the same time, it is also an opportunity for us to realize that, as long as there is human love, all difficulties will pass.
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Among the millions of kind hearts directed towards our compatriots affected by storms and floods, it is not easy to find a comprehensive and complete story. However, social networks and newspapers have mentioned the inspirational saying of Professor, Dr. Le Ngoc Thach - a visiting lecturer at the University of Natural Sciences (Ho Chi Minh City National University) when he held his life savings book of up to 1 billion VND to contribute to support our compatriots. That amount of money, he said, was saved from his retirement, teaching money and even money from writing books over the years. Seeing our compatriots in the North suffering from storms and floods, he could not control himself and decided to hold his savings book to support all of it. He only kept the interest to take care of other charity programs.
"Maybe 1 billion VND is a lot for an individual's contribution, but it is just a grain of sand compared to the losses that the people of the North are suffering" - Professor, Dr. Le Ngoc Thach shared.
Perhaps, it was the sacred words “compatriots” that urged an old teacher not to regret the huge sum of money he had saved all his life. It was the words “compatriots” that made him feel that the amount of 1 billion VND was “just like a grain of sand”.
These days, in addition to the phrases “support, relief”, the phrases “voluntary” and “free” are often mentioned. Most of them are directed towards people in areas affected by floods. There are people who no longer have homes, no longer have food, and many are still isolated.
Not only the story of "grain of sand - 1 billion VND" as above, but each individual and each organization is reaching out to flood victims with their own abilities. A coin, a pack of noodles, an egg, a banh chung are all precious at this time, regardless of how much or how little. I have seen apartment buildings mobilize each other on social media groups to collect food, blankets and clothes and then proactively use pickup trucks to transport the goods straight to Thai Nguyen and Yen Bai; I have read that in some areas in Da Nang and Nghe An, people gathered together to make banh chung and banh tet to urgently send to flood victims to warm their hearts... There are countless stories like that, too many to mention.
To transport goods, food, and necessities, transportation businesses have also quickly joined in and of course for free. Vietnam Railways Corporation has just announced that it will support free transportation of relief goods for people in provinces affected by storm No. 3. The transportation will be implemented from September 11. The delivery locations include the following stations: Saigon, Song Than, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Dong Hoi, Vinh, Thanh Hoa. Previously, on September 10, Vietnam Airlines announced that for relief goods, transportation fees, fuel surcharges and related fees will be waived and priority loading will be reserved on flights of airlines from airports across the country to Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi), Cat Bi (Hai Phong), Vinh (Nghe An), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa), Van Don (Quang Ninh), Dien Bien. Vietjet also exempts transportation fees for relief goods from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to flood-hit areas until September 20. Bamboo Airways also announced that it will receive and transport relief goods for free to the northern provinces until September 26, applicable on all Bamboo Airways flights departing from Ho Chi Minh City/Da Nang/Cam Ranh/Quy Nhon/Da Lat to Hanoi.
Vietnam Post Corporation, with the mission of a national postal enterprise for the community, promoting the tradition of "Love" of the Post Office, in coordination with the Vietnam Red Cross Society, organizes a program to support free transportation of relief goods to localities heavily affected by storm No. 3. From September 11, organizations and individuals can go to Vietnam Post post offices nationwide to send relief goods to 12 provinces and cities including: Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Yen Bai, Bac Giang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Son La, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang.
It seems that we are on a “march” towards our compatriots who are in difficulty due to floods. This “march” is called love and responsibility. The whole country is following the call of General Secretary and President To Lam in his letter of condolences to the compatriots and soldiers affected by storm No. 3:
“I call on the business community, philanthropists, and our compatriots at home and abroad, based on their functions, tasks, capabilities, and conditions, to continue to strongly promote “national love and compatriotism” to provide the highest, fastest, and most timely support directly to families suffering loss of life and property caused by natural disasters.”
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The Trade Union is one of the earliest organizations to respond and act upon the call of the General Secretary and President. Because among the people facing difficulties in areas devastated by natural disasters, there are also workers, laborers, union members and their families. Taking care of union members, laborers and the people in general is the responsibility and obligation of the Trade Union system.
Immediately after the call of the General Secretary and President, the Standing Committee of the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (VGCL) held a meeting to discuss support for union members and workers affected by storm No. 3 (Yagi).
The Standing Committee of the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor requested the Confederations of Labor of provinces and cities, and the Central Trade Unions to proactively send a document requesting the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund to support union members and workers who died due to the impact of the storm (10 million VND/dead person); union members and workers who were seriously injured and had to be hospitalized (maximum support of 5 million VND/person).
For localities and sectors directly affected by storm No. 3 including: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Vietnam Coal and Mineral Trade Union, Vietnam Railway Trade Union... proactively identify the subjects, based on the level of injury and property damage (houses with roofs blown off, floods swept away, landslides, damaged houses that need immediate repair...) to promptly support union members and workers, with support from union financial resources from 1 to 3 million VND/case.
Along with that, the Standing Committee of the Presidium of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor requested the Confederation of Labor of provinces and cities, and the Central Trade Union to call on union members and workers not affected by storm No. 3 to donate money to support areas affected by storms and floods, with the lowest support level being 1 day's salary/person.
The Golden Heart Social Charity Fund was established in 1996 at the initiative of Lao Dong Newspaper, also originating from the sentiment and responsibility for the damage caused by storms and floods to the people at that time.
For nearly 30 years, the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund has clearly demonstrated its role and responsibility to become an address, a bridge to expand the arms of kindness, spreading good things in society. And each passing day, the noble gestures and acts of kindness continue to be multiplied by the Fund, sending love to the poor and those in difficulty across the country.
Up to now, the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund has been receiving more and more kind hearts from people to send to people in flood-affected areas.
“With the spirit that every contribution from individuals, businesses... no matter how small is a great source of encouragement, helping people overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives, the staff and workers of HAVIET foods Company have unanimously initially supported and helped people in the flood-hit areas to overcome difficulties and stabilize their lives...”, Mr. Vu Hoang Ha - Director of Ha Viet Food Company Limited - shared when delivering goods to the people thanks to the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund.
Still needing a lot of cooperation and help, the Golden Heart Social Charity Fund continues to call on philanthropists at home and abroad to share with people affected by floods... to soon recover and stabilize their lives.
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Therefore, it can be said that in storms and floods, what remains are not just rocks, bricks or ruined houses, but touching stories of humanity. Those stories are not just news articles or status lines on social networks, but are living proof of the spirit of national solidarity. Every storm and flood season that passes, the love of the Vietnamese people becomes deeper, becoming a warm fire and dispelling the dark days caused by natural disasters.
Human love, therefore, is the guiding light, the faith that helps us together overcome all the storms of life.
The indomitable and kind people, for Vietnam - the two sacred words "compatriots".
