Silently building a bridge of love.

After leaving her position as Vice Chairperson of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune, life led Ms. Cao Thi To Nga back to a difficult but also brightly compassionate path: acting as a bridge for those less fortunate, especially victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

Báo Thanh niên•28/08/2025

She said it wasn't a random choice, but rather an "unnamed mission" guided by her heart.

- Ảnh 1. — Ms. Nga received financial support from benefactors.

From a Party Branch Secretary to a journey of accompanying victims of Agent Orange.

In 2019, upon joining the Party branch of An Long village (Que Phong commune, Que Son district, Quang Nam province), Ms. Nga was entrusted with the role of Party branch secretary, in charge of leading the newly merged residential area from An Long 1 and An Long 2, comprising over 400 households. In the journey of building a model new rural residential area, she quickly realized that for sustainable development, it is essential to first care for and support those most vulnerable: poor and near-poor households, and those with particularly difficult circumstances. "To help people improve their lives, we must first create motivation for them to believe that they can live better," she said.

From that thought, she began to mobilize and connect with kind-hearted people to help the villagers. Through these trips and visits, she also encountered another source of suffering: the victims of Agent Orange/dioxin.

Images of children with brain atrophy, hydrocephalus, deformed limbs, disproportionately large heads, stunted bodies, and scaly growths, or women who, due to poisoning, were unable to have children and lived quietly day by day… haunted her.

"Only when I witnessed it firsthand did I understand the horrific devastation of war. The innocent smiles and vacant eyes of the children haunt me," she recalled.

- Ảnh 2. — Handing over houses to victims of Agent Orange.

Since then, in any charitable activity, she has always prioritized helping victims of Agent Orange.

In 2023, fate led her to the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Que Son District as its Vice President. For her, this is not just a job, but a natural continuation of years of dedicated care for victims in rural areas. "If you call it a mission, it wouldn't be an exaggeration," she confided.

Belief from kind hearts

Throughout her years of service, what made her happiest wasn't the number of gifts she distributed, but the trust that benefactors placed in her. Some benefactors contacted her proactively, even without her asking for donations, sending money to help deliver gifts. Some friends and younger colleagues regularly transferred funds each year for her to select and support needy cases. It was the transparency in every penny earned and spent, and the ensuring that donations were given to the right people at the right time, that helped her build absolute trust from her benefactors. And the joy was amplified when she personally, on behalf of the organization, presented certificates of recognition to benefactors for their generosity.

In particular, when campaigning to support medical treatment, she always clearly defines the necessary amount, only calling for 10-30 million VND for each case and stopping when the target is reached. "This way, it won't create a sense of dependence or greed. Because there are many other people in need out there who also need help," she explained.

- Ảnh 3. — Donating breeding cows to families of Agent Orange victims.

On numerous occasions, she received special gifts of a spiritual nature. For example, a victim of Agent Orange, despite having physical disabilities, wrote a poem for her. Another case involved a family who received a breeding cow that she had helped to donate; when the cow became pregnant, the owner called to share the good news...

Having traveled extensively and seen much, she understands her own good fortune even more and wants to share more. However, volunteer work is not without its criticisms. Some people doubt her, saying things like, "She must have something to eat to be so diligent," or "She's meddling too much." "It's disheartening to hear that. But I don't allow myself to get tired. The best way to prove myself is to continue working honestly and wholeheartedly," she said.

There's a memory that still haunts her: a victim longed for a wheelchair so his wife and children could take him out to the garden to sit and relax. She managed to get him a wheelchair, but he passed away on the very day she went to pick it up. "I feel so guilty because I didn't have time to give him one last moment of joy," she said, her voice choked with emotion.

Spreading kindness

Every year, she and the Standing Committee of the Association have mobilized significant funds from organizations, individuals, and philanthropists inside and outside the province, thereby providing hundreds of gifts, charitable homes, wheelchairs, and timely medical treatment funds for victims of Agent Orange and those in particularly difficult circumstances. Personally, she proactively raises over 100 million VND each year to support these communities.

What is most valuable is her way of working: clear, transparent, only soliciting just enough donations for each case, so that the sharing can reach many more lives behind. It is this dedication and responsibility that has earned her the absolute trust of philanthropists. Thanks to this, over the years, not only have gifts, houses, or breeding cows been given, but also hope and motivation to live have been rekindled in the lives of those less fortunate.

However, when asked about her achievements, she just smiled gently and said, "The important thing is that our people are suffering less, and I feel relieved."

For Ms. Nga, social media is not only a place to share emotions but also an effective "bridge" for fundraising. Thanks to Facebook, she connects with many like-minded friends, and information about those in need is disseminated quickly and accurately. "My work is not simply a responsibility, but the spreading of compassion. The joy of a benefactor is sharing, my joy is being a bridge, and the joy of the victims is hard to describe; sometimes it's just a radiant look in their eyes, a trembling handshake," she confided.

Ms. Nga personally delivered gifts to the victims of Agent Orange.

PHOTO: TGCC

She understands that for Agent Orange victims, help is not just material but, more importantly, spiritual. "There are children who are merely existing, not truly living. Without love and support, it's very difficult for them and their families to find the motivation to overcome their difficulties."

Cao Thi To Nga's journey is a vivid testament to the beauty of dedication, compassion, and kindness. She doesn't see volunteering as a burden, but rather as a natural way of life, a voluntary bond with those less fortunate.

The flame of compassion that she has quietly kindled over the years is the clearest testament to a life dedicated to "quietly building bridges of love." She needs no praise or adoration, just a steadfast heart, full of love to warm the hearts of the less fortunate and leave a beautiful legacy in the community.