VietNamNet Bridge – War veterans and Agent Orange victims in a Can Tho City ward are receiving assistance from an unexpected quarter – former comrades-in-arms in more comfortable economic circumstances.

War veteran Pham Dinh Han (left) and an employee in front of his store in the Sat Market, An Lac Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.

Over the last few years, many struggling veterans in the city’s Ninh Kieu District have been given interest-free loans to start or develop their own business.

Pham Dinh Han, 65, is one veteran who has led the way in raising funds and assisting other former soldiers.

He is now a member of the ward’s Association of War Veterans and also head of its Association of Agent Orange Victims.

“After the war, many veterans faced another fight. They were struggling to earn a living,” Han said, adding that he had also experienced the ups and downs of being a soldier and a war veteran.

“I wanted to do something to help them stabilise their lives, expand business and create more jobs for local residents,” Han said.

Teenage fighter

Han, born in the northern province of Phu Tho, had to leave his hometown and family in his early teens and move to Thai Binh Province with his aunt.

When he was 18, during the American war, he volunteered to join the army, and traveled to the south of Viet Nam.

Today, he tells his wife and children that although he lost 61 per cent of working capacity to diseases, he was much luckier than his brothers-in-arms, most of whom did not survive the war.

They died on the battlefield to enemy attacks or were killed by diseases, particularly malaria. Some even died after drinking spring water in the forest. Thirst, hunger and diseases were part of army life then.

No rings

Han’s wife Do Phung Nga, a Can Tho native, said they met and got married when both of them had almost nothing.

Their wedding was organised simply with just some sweets for relatives and friends, Nga said, adding that they did not even have wedding rings.

They lived with Nga’s parents in a small house near the Sat Market in An Lac Ward. The young couple struggled to make ends meet in those days, especially after two babies were born in 1983 and 1985.

“I remember that our meals usually had the cheapest fish in the market. The fish was cooked with a lot of salt and we had it for several days,” Nga said.

Unfortunately, one of their two daughters suffers from disabilities because Han was infected by Orange Agent. Since she could not stand on her own feet, she was carried to school until the ninth grade, when she dropped out because of a complex about her disability.

Scraping through

Seeking to survive in such tough times, Han and his wife started collecting scrap after noticing that there was a high demand for metal tools and machines.

They carried shoulder poles to almost every corner of the southern city and neighbouring areas. They bought raw materials, made tools and sold them.

Nga remembered being very happy when they could finally afford to buy a bicycle that made it easier for them to carry materials as well as deliver products to their customers.

They opened their first stall in the market in 1987 with their small savings and money borrowed from relatives and friends.

The small stall, with a variety of aluminum and iron tools attracted customers with their quality and reasonable prices. They also felt welcome by the friendly and sociable stall owner.

Han and Nga’s business has been expanding for several years now. They have opened three stores selling metal tools and machines in the Sat Market, offering stable jobs to more than 25 workers, including children and grandchildren of other local war veterans.

Han’s wife said that he was sick very often because of war-related illnesses, but always worked hard.

She said he worked as if working was a valuable gift that life had given him. He worked for his family and in the hope of helping more and more people, especially other war veterans.

Huynh Quoc Viet, head of An Lac Ward’s Association of War Veterans said that they had about 70 members and for the last six years, voluntarily raised funds to help disadvantaged members.

Each disadvantaged veteran can borrow VND 20 -30 million free of interest to start or develop his or her business to earn a higher income and improve living standards.

“They borrow and return the loans so that other members can get them,” Viet said. At least 16 members have taken the preferential loans so far.

Viet appreciated the contributions Han has made to the supporting fund, saying that he was always an “active and enthusiastic brother.”  

Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, an official of the Ninh Kieu District Labour Department, also said Han was an enthusiastic participant in social activities offering assistance to local veterans, children and poor people.

He spends his own money to help poor veterans, showing them ways to develop their business and escape poverty, she said. 

VNS