So that the night is no longer dark

When the street lights come on, a group of young people in An Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City begin their special shift, walking around the streets to help anyone with vehicle problems. They don’t wear badges or receive a salary, but are affectionately called by many people: the SOS Team that helps people at night.

SOS An Phu team silently supports patching potholes at night.

The group was formed in 2018 with only a few members. Up to now, the team has about 15 people aged 18 - 35, working in various jobs such as auto mechanics, workers, delivery staff, and technology drivers. During the day, they work hard to make a living, and at night they put on reflective vests with the word "SOS" and roam on National Highway 13, My Phuoc - Tan Van, DT743, Song Than Industrial Parks, VSIP... to find people in need of help.

The operation time starts from 8pm to midnight, sometimes lasting up to 2-3 hours depending on the situation. Whenever they see someone pushing a cart, standing alone in the middle of the road or receive a distress call via the group's shared phone number on social media, the whole team immediately sets off. The rescue operation is completely free, including patching tires, changing tubes, refueling, fixing minor problems on the spot or using a rope to tow the cart home if it is seriously damaged. Many members also bring bandages and antiseptics to temporarily provide first aid to people who have fallen off their bikes.

Many people received free tire patching support and were helped to push their cars when they ran out of gas...

On the night of October 20, following the SOS team to support people in trouble while traveling on the road, we felt the hard work of the members but also saw the meaning of this action for those who were supported in difficult situations in the middle of the night.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Minh, a worker at a company in An Phu ward, emotionally shared that at around 9 pm, he and his wife got off work and had to push their bike because of a flat tire on My Phuoc - Tan Van road. He and his wife were walking when they saw a sign offering free tire repairs from some young people so they pulled over. At first, he was scared because the road was deserted, but they pointed at his shirt that said 'SOS team supports people at night' and then fixed his bike while asking questions, which was very touching. He was very grateful to the brothers for not hesitating to help the people and hoped that this model would be replicated more and more.

Mr. Tran Minh Tuan (35 years old), the team leader and founder of the group, used to be a mechanic for a motorbike repair shop in An Phu ward, so in the evenings he often borrowed tools from the workplace to help people on the road when they had problems.

Completely free rescue service: tire patching, tube replacement, gas refueling, towing damaged vehicles home, even first aid for accident victims... has been maintained for many years.

Since 2023, he has switched to driving a motorbike taxi to be more flexible with his time. Mr. Tuan shared that he lives in an area with many workers who get off work in the evening. Among them, there are many cases where their vehicles break down on the road, run out of gas, or hit a nail on the road... Seeing people pushing their vehicles at night with no one to help, he had the idea to help them. Every evening, when his work is temporarily finished, he takes his motorbike around, stops when he sees someone pushing a vehicle, and sometimes he works until morning before returning.

According to the group’s statistics, each year, the group handles hundreds of cases of vehicle breakdowns in the middle of the night. On peak days, a small group has to handle 5-7 cases in just a few hours.

“There are no days off. We just divide ourselves up to avoid overload. Those who are tired during the day can rest, those who are free can run. Rescue equipment such as walkie-talkies, flashlights, reflective vests... some are supported by benefactors, the rest are mainly provided by the team members themselves,” said Mr. Tuan.

Not only repairing cars, the team also has a special item: a nail suction truck made by member Phung Huu Hiep. A large magnet is attached to the back of the truck, collecting nails and scattered metal pieces wherever it goes. "Every thing picked up is an accident avoided," Hiep said. The motivation for Hiep to stick with the team for many years is very simple, he once got stuck in the middle of the night, calling for help but no one came. Now, seeing someone like that, he sympathizes. He only needs to stop for a few minutes and the people in trouble will feel safe along the way.

The nail suction truck invented by team members helps road users reduce the risk of accidents and incidents.

Appreciating and appreciating the activities of the SOS Team supporting people at night in An Phu Ward, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department, Ho Chi Minh City Police, said that currently, in the City, there are many models of civil defense - volunteers, but the SOS Team supporting people at night in An Phu Ward is one of the groups that operates persistently and effectively. The group always enthusiastically supports the Traffic Police force at the scene of traffic accidents or incidents.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga highly appreciated the community spirit of the young people; at the same time, she expressed her hope that meaningful activities like those of the SOS Team will continue to be maintained and expanded, within the legal framework and with the inherent spirit of humanity./.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/nguoi-tot-viec-tot/de-dem-khong-con-den-20251021133856445.htm