“I am writing this letter from Earth, where I am on a mission to make every road in the world safer for children…”, began Dao Khuong Duy, a 6th-grade student from Huynh Tan Phat Secondary School in Binh Dai District, Ben Tre Province, as he embodied the superhero S-24/7. With clear, simple yet concise and powerful language, filled with love for his family and fellow human beings, Khuong Duy's letter surpassed over 1.5 million entries from students nationwide to win first prize in the national competition.

Dao Khuong Duy and his mother at the awards ceremony for the 52nd UPU International Letter Writing Competition.

With the logical thinking of a math prodigy, Duy's letter guides the reader with concrete examples and clever imagination to solve a very practical problem. Khuong Duy shared: “I really like the characters Superman and Saint Giong with their extraordinary strength, always helping people. When I saw that the competition theme related to superheroes and traffic safety for children was very relatable, I decided to participate. The character is named S-24/7 because the letter S is the beginning of many beautiful words on Earth such as Superhero, Sacrifice, Safety, and this superhero's mission is to protect children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without a single minute of rest.”

Observing the life around him, Duy sees many people driving recklessly, often without helmets. Therefore, his character often transforms to stay one step ahead of the "traffic accident menace." Duy writes: "Sometimes I'm a traffic policeman, kindly helping a group of children cross the road. Sometimes I'm a school security guard, reminding parents to always wear helmets and seatbelts for their children. Sometimes I'm a cleaning lady, stopping sweeping to advise children to walk orderly on the correct side of the road. Sometimes I'm a headwind, making all vehicles drive below 30 km/h when approaching areas with many children..." He hopes to replace dangerous and wrong thoughts with correct ones, prioritizing safety above all else. Hidden within Duy's letter are very important and meaningful messages for adults: all children deserve to go home safely. The inspiration for Duy to write this heartfelt and special letter came not only from superhero movies but also from books about famous people, Vietnamese history, and "The Adventures of the Cricket," which he considers a close friend.

Coming from a disadvantaged family and never having attended any extra classes, Duy has repeatedly topped intellectual competitions at school. All his knowledge comes from classroom lectures and the books his mother buys him. His father works at a small printing company near their home, and his mother's health isn't great, so the family's income revolves around a small beverage stall. Duy's mother, Huynh Thi Thao Tien, shared: "Every day, Duy wakes up at 5 a.m., helps me push the cart out, arranges the tables and chairs, and then gets ready for school. Duy has been eager to learn since he was little, so he's very proactive in his studies. He spends all his money on books. I hope I have the health to take good care of Duy and help him fulfill his dreams."

Upon hearing that Duy had won first prize in the competition, Ms. Tien thought it was just another one of Duy's usual first prizes. However, when she learned that it was a national competition and that Duy's letter had been translated into French by the organizers for an international competition, she was very surprised. At the age of 12, with his vivid imagination, rich emotions, and simple language, the boy from the coconut-growing region had created a superhero overflowing with love.

Text and photos: KHANH HA