VietNamNet Bridge – They come from all walks of life: farmers, food vendors, professional singers, and more. Their goal: preserving the traditional art of cai luong (renovated theatre) in Viet Nam.

Members of the Dong Thanh Amateur Singing Club perform during a show.

The 18 members of the Dong Thanh Amateur Singing Club live in Dong Thanh Commune in Binh Minh Town in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long.

Most of the proceeds from the club’s shows at festivals and parties are contributed to a fund which provides money to poor families to build or repair houses.

Several poor residents in the commune say the club has also donated either rice or money to pay for their relatives’ medical treatments.

Thanh Van Tang, deputy chairman of the club, says earnings from performances have been used to build 15 new houses and purchase wooden house pillars for 45 poor families.

Established in 1994, the club hosts performances not only in Dong Thanh Commune and other districts in Vinh Long Province, but also in other provinces.

For its contributions to amateur singing and preservation of traditional music, the club was honored at the first National Amateur Singing Festival held in Bac Lieu Province in 2014.

Nguyen Minh Giang, deputy chairman of Dong Thanh Commune’s People’s Committee, said the club had been instrumental in promoting cultural activities and helping poor families build new homes.

VNS