'Village Elder' in Bach Long Vi

"I can't explain why I'm so good."

In 1992, Tran Van Hien (then 22 years old, from Tien Hai, Thai Binh province ) enlisted in the army and went to Bach Long Vi, the most remote outpost island in the Gulf of Tonkin. "At that time, the island was only inhabited by soldiers and was very desolate, full of sand, rocks, and cacti, with not a single green tree," Mr. Hien recalled. When he first set foot on the island, he secretly thought he would just complete his duty and return home, but this soldier became attached to the island and the longest-serving soldier on the outpost. In March 1993, after Bach Long Vi district was established, he transferred to the Youth Volunteer Brigade, working with 62 young volunteers from the mainland to build the island.

General Secretary To Lam and the Central Committee delegation visited the people of Bach Long Vi island district in November 2024.

PHOTO: VNA

"We had to start building houses right away to have a place to live and increase production. The work was done only by human labor because there was no electricity or water. I was in the team pouring concrete for the roofs, and every day we had to carry up to 90 baskets of materials, climbing up and down about 180 times. We worked almost all night, sometimes until 2 or 3 in the morning, then get up again to go to work. Now I can't understand how we were able to do that, how we were so good!" he recounted.

The work was hard, but the hardship was even greater due to the lack of clean water. He and his comrades had to shave their heads to save water, reserving it for the women. Food was meager, because in the early years, a supply ship only came every three months, so there was a severe shortage of vegetables. "We had a saying, 'rice with rice.' After cooking rice, we would cook instant noodles into a broth to pour over the rice, calling it soup," he recalled.

Mr. Tran Van Hien, who dedicated his entire youth to Bach Long Vi Island.

PHOTO: XUAN TUNG

Not only did they face material hardships, but they also lacked spiritual support. The island had no television or telephone, yet it was fraught with danger. "Sometimes, hundreds of foreign fishing boats would surround the island to intimidate us. The young volunteers were initially bewildered," he recounted. But in the end, the young volunteers, along with the army, became living landmarks on the frontline island and built Bach Long Vi into the country's first Youth Island.

A special wedding

When Mr. Hien decided to stay and develop the island, his family on the mainland disagreed, but he was determined to stay. "I just thought that since I was young, I wanted to test myself against the elements, nurture my ambition to build the island, and definitely protect our sovereignty ," he confided. Then he built a home right on the island. His wife was one of the first 62 young volunteers to go and develop the island. At that time, her parents were the ones who objected because they worried about their daughter having to live for a long time amidst the vast ocean. He told his girlfriend: "If we can't get married, we can still be friends. Whenever you want, just let me go back and talk to your parents." During a trip back to the mainland, he decided to visit his girlfriend's family, promising to live with them, and they agreed.

On their wedding day, neither family could attend. The military represented the groom's side, while the youth volunteer corps represented the bride's. "The wedding was filled only with singing drowning out the sound of the waves. But the whole island was very happy, because we were the second couple to build a home on the island," Mr. Hien recalled, adding that he and his wife had overcome countless difficulties when their parents were ill but they couldn't visit them. When his mother passed away, he couldn't even go home to say goodbye for the last time.

"Treat the island like your own home."

Over 30 years of dedication to the island has been a process of continuous hard work , study, and striving for excellence for Mr. Hien. Currently, he is the Team Leader of the Bach Long Vi Youth Volunteer Team ( thuộc the Hai Phong City Youth Volunteer Team) and has participated in numerous projects with other youth volunteers.

Now, upon arriving at the island, everyone is amazed by the modern and well-equipped infrastructure, including electricity, roads, schools, and medical facilities, indistinguishable from those on the mainland. Bach Long Vi has become a beautiful island with unique photo opportunities such as the harbor capable of accommodating hundreds of vehicles, Bach Long Tu Pagoda, Bach Long Vi Lighthouse, and the wind turbine with the inscription "I love my homeland." Particularly noteworthy is the flagpole dedicated to the Youth Volunteers, affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the islands... Every project bears the mark of the Youth Volunteers ' efforts.

Mr. Hien said that his most memorable experience was participating in the construction of the Youth Volunteer Flagpole in 1998, marking five years of youth volunteers building the island. At that time, Vice President Truong My Hoa attended the inauguration ceremony and presented the project. Since the establishment of the sovereignty marker, the island has become a meaningful destination for every visiting delegation. Everyone gets to participate in the sacred flag-raising ceremony at this flagpole. "That is one of the meaningful projects, both a landmark of the youth volunteers and a demonstration of the great concern of the Party and State for maritime sovereignty. Recently, General Secretary To Lam visited and worked on the island. This is a great honor and source of pride for Bach Long Vi Youth Island and generations of youth volunteers," Mr. Hien shared.

Today, Bach Long Vi Youth Island is filled with greenery and modern structures.

PHOTO: NGUYEN NGAN

According to Mr. Hien, with the attention of the Party, the State, the Youth Union, and the efforts of the Youth Volunteers, Bach Long Vi Youth Island has changed day by day. "The Youth Volunteer Brigade has planted 68 hectares of new forest and protected over 390 hectares of forest, contributing to bringing greenery to Bach Long Vi, preserving precious freshwater resources, and improving the island's ecosystem…".

Mr. Hien also proudly stated that over the past 30 years, many generations of young volunteers from Bach Long Vi have grown up, with 55 being recruited and transferred to various departments and agencies of the district. The youth volunteer residential area now has 38 households, with 45 children born on the island. 100% of the youth volunteer families have decided to build a long-term life on the island and consider it their second home. Among them, Mr. Hien's family has stayed the longest, and he has become the "village elder" with 32 years on the island.

When asked why he's stayed on the island for so long, he smiled and said, "Many people have asked me that question, but I can't answer it. Perhaps it's because I've come to regard the island as my home."

Ms. Nguyen Bich Hop, General Team Leader of the Hai Phong City Youth Volunteer Team, said: "Mr. Hien has a strong love for the sea and islands and has a long-standing, dedicated commitment to Bach Long Vi Island. In his work, he is very energetic and responsible, always leading the Bach Long Vi Youth Volunteer Team to successfully complete the assigned tasks."