For many children orphaned after the Covid-19 pandemic, the "Walking Through Life With You" program initiated by Thanh Nien Newspaper brings a long-term journey, full of humanity, accompanying them as they move forward in life.

The Covid-19 pandemic has passed, and life has returned to its familiar peaceful rhythm. Yet for many children, the loss of their father or mother - or both - remains a deep, unhealed wound.

For them, this program is not just charity. It is companionship, a steady presence that grows with them, creating a foundation of support amid their most vulnerable years.

A journey of moving forward after loss

For nearly five years, a modest home tucked in an alley on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street (Ho Chi Minh City) has become the shared shelter of three siblings: Truong Minh Tu (born 2008), Truong Ha Tu Uyen (2010), and Truong Vu Duc Tai (2019).

Here, they are raised in the devoted care of their grandmother, Pham Thi Ngoc Diep, who has shouldered every hardship since her daughter, Truong Hoang Bao Ngoc, died during the peak of the Covid-19 outbreak in 2021.

Ms. Ngoc, a devoted caregiver, was looking after patients until her very last breath - becoming one of the many unsung heroes of the pandemic.

Her sudden passing left an unbearable void in the lives of her three young children. At the time, baby Tai was barely walking. His two older sisters were still in school. Their father had left long before, and the family’s burden fell entirely on their aging grandmother.

From that moment, Mrs. Diep quit her job as a hospital caregiver to look after the children full-time, bringing them to live in the home of their great-grandmother. Every day, she juggled odd jobs just to keep the family afloat. Yet, her love never wavered.

“For the first three years after their mother died, I was in constant pain. I missed her so much. I couldn’t even see her one last time. She died working at the hospital,” Mrs. Diep recalled through tears. “The kids were so young. I ran back and forth, all on my own.”

Hope arrived in the form of the "Walking Through Life With You" program, a joint initiative between Thanh Nien Newspaper and Tan Hiep Phat. It became a foundation of strength that allowed the family to continue on.

Since 2022, Tan Hiep Phat has provided long-term sponsorship for all three children until they turn 18, visiting them during holidays like Tet, Mid-Autumn Festival, and International Children's Day. These visits brought warmth and connection, helping the children and their grandmother feel less alone, and more encouraged to move forward.

Persistent journeys of love

Today, Tu Uyen, Minh Tu, and Duc Tai continue growing in the nurturing arms of their grandmother and great-grandmother, slowly healing and learning to smile again. They know they are not alone - there are hands holding theirs, walking beside them into the future.

These three siblings are just a few among 50 Covid-orphaned children sponsored by Tan Hiep Phat until adulthood. They are also part of a larger network of over 450 children receiving long-term care through the Thanh Nien-led initiative.

Beyond the monthly financial support, Tan Hiep Phat staff continue making yearly visits to each family. Each employee becomes a mentor and close friend to one child - following their academic journey, offering emotional guidance, and being a trusted presence in their lives.

“What touches us the most are the children’s eyes - bright, clear, full of confidence after going through so much,” said Vu Phuong Thanh, a representative from Tan Hiep Phat. “Some had to quit school due to hardship, but returned and even performed well. That makes us proud. We want to continue giving them motivation and help them move forward with strength.”

That’s why Tan Hiep Phat became the largest sponsor of the program from the start, taking responsibility for 50 children orphaned by the pandemic.

“We share the same values - compassion, social responsibility, and a desire to ease the pain left behind by Covid-19,” said Ms. Thanh. “Thanh Nien has planted a seed with a program that is serious, thoughtful, and sustainable. We believe that when businesses join hands, those seeds can flourish even more.”

“Our support is not just financial - it’s filled with belief. We believe every bit of help today will open a brighter future for these children, one where they can continue walking forward with their own strength and dreams.”

Spreading love, planting seeds of hope

“Walking Through Life With You” is more than a support program. It is a testament to what’s possible when businesses, media, and the community work together to turn pain into strength.

Small gifts. Words of kindness. Frequent visits. Together, they become a foundation of faith for children - helping them move beyond grief and reach for a brighter future.

For Tan Hiep Phat, this is also how the company affirms its commitment to society - not as duty, but as culture.

“Social responsibility isn’t just an obligation - it’s a part of who we are,” the company shared. “When we act together for the community, we multiply the good. Every child deserves to grow up surrounded by love and hope.”

PV