VietNamNet Bridge - Swimming across the river to round up buffaloes, five little girls became exhausted midstream when they swam back. Hearing the shouts, a 15-year-old boy jumped into the water to save the five kids.

Nguyen Van Duoc and his mother.

Mr. Vo Van Dinh, Chairman of Thanh Ngoc commune in Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province, said the local government had rewarded the brave boy - Nguyen Van Duoc, a 9th grade student of Thanh Ngoc Commune Secondary School.

In the afternoon of June 17, a group of buffalo girls waded through the river to round up the buffaloes and began drowning. Hearing the shout from the river, Duoc immediately jumped into the water to rescue the five little girls. Duoc gave three kids artificial respiration to help the victims regain consciousness.

The five children rescued by Duoc are five schoolgirls of Thanh Ngoc Secondary School, aging from 10 to 13.

The Youth Union of Thanh Chuong District said that they had proposed the Central Youth Union to award the Medal of Bravery to Duoc.

On June 19, Minister of Education and Training -- Pham Vu Luan, sent a letter to Duoc to praise his courageousness. The Ministry of Education have also decided to award VND5 million ($250) for this boy.

Xuan Nam