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Tien Phong Newspaper - Economy
and Society
Toward 50th anniversary
of War Invalid Day (27th July)
Great joy and happiness of that
war invalid man
In April 1997 at the war hospital
in Base 3, Prof. Nguyen Trinh Co, Army Doctor of Regiment 37 wrote
the story “Brother Ngoc” which was published on the newspaper “Happy
to Live” of Army Health Service. After he had finished operation
of cutting the whole left arm of a brave 12-year message carrier
who dared to send fight message to army units alone. Then the story
was published on “Sunshine” collection of revolutionary and war
poems and stories. “Brother
Ngoc” story resulted in sensational feeling among youth and teenagers
and encouraged them to fight for national independence and freedom.
As hundred of soldier, after being
wounded Brother Ngoc himself tried to forget his wounds to study
and work, develop to meet new demands. Unexpectedly, I have recently
met “Brother Ngoc” (his real name is Mr. Trinh Ngoc Trinh) when
he prepared to come Bac Kan province for implementing hunger eradication
and poverty reduction project in a highland commune. And I am surprised
to know that he is still working for Highland Education Development
Organization (HEDO for abbreviation).
With only one arm, no matter which
job he has namely teacher in mountainous provinces of Lai Chau and
Son La, at Central Highland Teacher Training College and at Ha Noi
Teacher Training University or cadre of Central Youth Union or Director
of HEDO that war invalid man is always hard-working, whole-hearted,
enthusiastic and maintains good characteristic of Uncle Ho’s soldier
during the past 50 years.
As having taught and closed with
highland and ethnic minority pupils and people for a long time,
the war invalid teacher fully understands their difficulties. He
wishes to do everything he can in order to reduce their heavy load
and bring brightness and happiness to them. During the past 7 years,
his footprints have marked in most highland provinces and districts
in the North, Central and South of Vietnam. So far, HEDO has been
implementing over 60 projects in mountainous and ethnic minority
areas, which partly show his ability of community communication.
He, local leaders and international friends are so happy that they
overflow tear when projects enter into daily life namely workshops,
laboratories and libraries of Yen Bai Highland Ethnic Minority Boarding
School; Kindergarten in Bac Ha district Lao Cai province; Leprosy
clinic in Van Lem commune, Dakto district, Kontum province. His
organization is proud to cooperate with other organizations to train
over 40 masters in mountainous areas, send hundreds of ethnic minority
students and cadres to study and improve qualification abroad etc.
It also in cooperation with Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society to
send 20 British volunteer teachers to work at Foreign Language centers
in highland provinces.
As HEDO is a non-governmental
organization without government financial support, he has to work
very hard. In order to receive a project from an international organization,
it is necessary to combine 3 factors: Local - International Organization
- Creative Ability of organization. He has to travel four to five
to get a project approved. His time is always busy but he learns
English by himself, directly communicate with foreign friends. He
learns at any time and anywhere. The determined war invalid man
has had five accidents for 7 years of travelling in all walks of
mountainous areas. One time, he fell when he was climbing to meet
H’Mong ethnic people in bordering Can Ho commune as the road was
too sleep and slippery. Because he has only one arm he could not
ward off so he rolled on the sleep. Despite being hurt, he with
colleagues visited people and village in time. A lot of foreigner
accompanying with him to supervise and start projects across Sky
Gate (Lao Cai province), Gravo col (Lai Chau province), Ma Pi Leng
(Ha Giang province) asked “Why aren’t you afraid of travelling so
dangerous roads? He have honest smile and answered “ You are foreigner
but you still come here to help our people, why am I afraid? We
both reach poor areas to do humanitarian work for poor people”.
Being whole-hearted for highland - it is great joy and happiness
of that war invalid man.
Written by Trinh Van Quy
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