Teacher Nguyen Tran Vy (middle, front row) poses with a charity group and children at a school site in Quang Nam Province.

Nguyen Tran Vy grew up in the province's poor mountainous district of Nam Tra My. Although he also passed the entrance exams to the Hue University for Agriculture and Forestry which he likes, Vy decided to study at a local teachers' training college because it offered free training.

And then he became a teacher at the primary school where he studied before.

"When I started my job as a teacher 20 years ago, I realised that I did not like the work at all but I needed money to help my parents support my six siblings," he remembered. "But then the poor situation of the students in my area made me stay as I wanted to help them have better education."

In 2011, the young teacher was moved to work as a specialist at the Nam Tra My District's Department of Education and Training. And while working here, he saw that many charity groups coming to the area did not have enough information about the people who really need help. He decided to set up a team that helped connect charity groups with the localities and people that need support.

With good knowledge about the area and great efforts, Vy has helped guide lots of charity groups to the communities. He's also called for donations to build schools and houses for low-income people.

The teacher has helped build dozens of houses for poor people.

"So far with the support from kind donors, we've built more than 50 schools, five dorms, and dozens of houses for poor people in the area," Vy said. "We've also granted scholarships to many students from low-income families to encourage them to continue their studies."

Sharing about their current charity projects, Vy said that the recent storms, floods, and landslides had badly damaged many roads in Quang Nam Province with his mountainous Nam Tra My District being hardest hit. Therefore, they want to help repair the roads, especially those leading to local school sites for local people.

Vy distributes money to flood victims in Nam Tra My District in October.

"We want to call for donations to help repair and build roads to local schools first," he said. "When we have better roads to ensure safety for the children and teachers, more donors may help build more schools here."

Nguyen Tran Vy is among 10 people nationwide who are awarded for their outstanding contributions to voluntary work in 2020.

With his active role in charity work in Quang Nam, Nguyen Tran Vy was among 10 people nationwide who have just been awarded for their outstanding contributions to voluntary work in 2020 by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee and the Vietnam Youth Federation Central Committee. Dtinews