VietNamNet Bridge – Although he has retired for more than a decade, 68-year-old Nguyen Van Hoi – a former teacher in the central province of Thanh Hoa – is still at Dong Ve Ward’s office every day.

Nguyen Van Hoi by his desk at Dong Ve Ward’s office in the central province of Thanh Hoa. — VNA/VNS Photo Duc Loi

It is part of the professionalism he thought a chairman of a Study Promotion Association should have when communal leaders asked him to take the job.

“I thought long and hard about it,” said Hoi. “I wouldn’t have taken the job if I couldn’t think of practical ways to encourage children to study.”

Despite his meager allowance, every morning he comes to work at the commune’s office. Every night he meets with leaders of each ward’s study promotion team and visits disadvantaged households to encourage parents to keep their children in school.

Over the last eight years, Hoi has helped several dropouts return to school.  Nguyen Cong Son, residing in Mat Son Street, is one such student.

A few years ago when Son was a sixth grader, his mother had had enough of her violent, alcoholic husband and left the house. Finding himself at a dead end with no money, Son’s father forced his son to drop out of school.

When the case was brought to Hoi’s attention, he decided to visit Son’s family and talk to his father. “People told me not to, because he could get really nasty when he was drunk,” Hoi recalled. “They said I could get beaten if I went there.”

But the warnings did not stop him. “I thought, ‘I’m doing something good – why would he beat me?’ and came to his house. There, I found not a single piece of furniture,” Hoi said.

“I told Son’s father to try to provide him with two meals a day, and I would take care of the rest,” he said. “Then I asked our supporters to contribute clothes, textbooks and a bicycle, and asked Son’s school for a tuition fee deduction.”

As well as helping disadvantaged children get an education, Hoi also keeps an eye on their study progress and provides encouragement to them.

He remembers Nguyen Thi Ha Phuong well, a student with disabilities residing in Quang Xa 1 Street who taught English free to children in the commune for several years.

Last year when Phuong was accepted to Hong Duc University, after visiting her house and congratulating her in person, Hoi informed several philanthropic organisations of Phuong’s achievement and asked them to support her.

Some VND15 million (US$660) was given to Phuong by the Thanh Hoa Study Promotion Association and the Association for Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans. “It wasn’t much, but it’s something to encourage her to keep on striving,” Hoi said.

A golden heart

Vu Van Nang, leader of a study promotion team in Quang Thang Ward, said Hoi has the skills to encourage learning that several of his colleagues want to learn.

“We’ve applied what he tells us, but we’re still far behind him,” Nang said.

As much as he is willing to share all his experiences, working methods and documents he has collected, Hoi believes what’s important is a personal touch.    

“You have to really care about the students, think of them as your grandchildren,” he said. “If they lack textbooks, buy them textbooks. If they lack transportation, give them bicycles.”

“They can only feel at ease and have the will to study when their fundamental needs are fulfilled,” he said.

To have money to provide necessities for students, Hoi sent letters to every organisation and sponsor inside and outside of his commune. “It’s not compulsory and they don’t need to contribute if they don’t want to, but seeing my enthusiasm, most of them are willing to help,” he said.

“I sometimes paid the students’ tuition fees with my own money.”

Seeing the senior visiting the children every night, some locals said Hoi was ‘weird’ and ‘had too much free time on his hands’. But that doesn’t ruffle his feathers.

“It’s a joy in my retirement,” he said. “It’s the fact that I’m helping someone that counts.”

Duc Loi

VNS