Transforming into a trash

Bui Van Huy is an architect who has been working in the profession for nearly 20 years. However, he is better known by his pen name Chau An Khoi, a poet specializing in children's literature with several published books.

Huy's poetic language is clear, rich in imagery, and full of emotion. As a father of three, perhaps his poetic inspiration stems from his own children:

"I wear a hat on a summer afternoon."

Chasing after dragonflies

Summer seems so vast.

And the wind... carries a fragrant scent.

Besides writing poetry for children, Bui Van Huy understands that every child needs toys. However, the market is currently dominated by technological toys. While these toys have many benefits, such as helping children develop logical thinking, intelligence, and creativity, they also have quite a few drawbacks. For example, they negatively impact physical health by making children more inactive, less inclined to exercise, reducing social interaction, and increasing the risk of psychological disorders like anxiety and depression. Not to mention that some counterfeit or low-quality toys contain toxic substances, posing a potential risk of cancer and countless other negative consequences.

Bui Van Huy with the toys he created himself from recycled materials. PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Meanwhile, an incredibly abundant resource is being wasted: scrap materials such as cans, boxes, bottles, and various types of cardboard. Huy suddenly had an idea: Why not utilize these scrap materials to make toys for children? It would save costs and reduce the amount of plastic waste released into the environment.

Without hesitation, despite his busy daily schedule, Huy took advantage of the nighttime hours when his children were asleep to create his toys. In the mornings, they would be surprised to find new toys. Sometimes it was a tank just big enough for a child to sit in, other times it was a whole collection of modern "vehicles" like cars, helicopters, airplanes, submarines... and countless other adorable animals. Scrap materials, transformed by the skillful hands and creative mind of an architect, became incredibly vibrant and charming.

During holidays, Huy guides his children in making toys together. Each child can make a toy they like. Although the products aren't perfect, they bring a lot of joy to the children. Through this activity, they develop independence, creativity, and patience... At the same time, using recycled materials is also a way to teach children to live frugally and be more conscious of protecting the environment. Each time they make and play together like this, it's an opportunity for parents and children to bond. The family atmosphere is therefore more joyful and happy.

Not wanting to be limited to just his family, Huy thought this model should be more widely popularized. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many places were under social distancing measures, children couldn't go to school, and besides online learning, there was almost nothing else for entertainment. So he started experimenting with making videos to guide people on how to make toys. The YouTube channel "Clever Hands" was born in that context.

After the channel went live for a while, it attracted a lot of interaction. From being an ordinary person, Huy never expected himself to become famous so quickly. Several newspapers, media outlets, and clubs invited him to participate in their programs. Some even offered him a collaboration to teach disabled students how to make toys, so that they could have a skill to earn a living.

Bui Van Huy is instructing children on how to make star-shaped lanterns at Nha Nam Bookstore. PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Bringing joy to children seems to be Bui Van Huy's passion. Sometimes he guides children in making toys at the Green Club – an active parent group in Hanoi . Other times, he is one of the enthusiastic parents participating in decorating classrooms for their children during holidays and festivals... And most recently, in a special event called Booktour for the Mid-Autumn Festival organized by Nha Nam Bookstore, Bui Van Huy, as an instructor, helped parents and children make their own star-shaped lanterns from cardboard.

A book in which Bui Van Huy (under the pen name Chau An Khoi) co-authored poems. PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Huy has been involved in many more activities, both large and small, over the past few years that I cannot list all within the scope of this article. Most importantly, he does all of these things without profit. Even when some companies offered to sell his handmade toys on e-commerce platforms, Huy refused, remembering his original purpose.

The purpose is simple yet beautiful. Its simplicity is evident in the act of gathering seemingly discarded materials to create toys that cost nothing. But its beauty lies in the fact that, though free, these toys are priceless. They are highly educational , enriching the souls of young children. And most importantly, they contribute to reducing the burden on the environment.

Children and the environment are two of the most pressing concerns in society today. Perhaps that's why Bui Van Huy's actions easily touch the hearts of so many people?

When I expressed my desire to write an article, Huy jokingly said, "You're just a garbage collector, a 'modern-day junk dealer,' what's there to write about?"

As Huy said, he's just like any other scrap collector. But unlike them, he doesn't do it for a living. He has transformed those scraps, breathing life into them, giving them a different kind of existence, something more beautiful and meaningful. That's something not everyone has the passion to do.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hoa-than-cho-rac-185251009153112408.htm