Bringing love to the poor, a teacher's story of 'giving'

Retired, teacher Vu Thi Thu Ha (57 years old, residing in Kon Tum Ward, Quang Ngai) still regularly goes to remote villages in the old Kon Tum province, silently caring for and bringing hope to the unfortunate and unlucky without expecting anything in return.

While teaching, teacher Vu Thi Thu Ha helped poor students and exempted tuition fees for children in difficult circumstances.

Now retired, the teacher still regularly travels to remote villages in the former Kon Tum province (now part of Quang Ngai province), quietly caring for and bringing hope to unfortunate and underprivileged lives without expecting anything in return.

The teacher used her salary to buy rice and food for the poor.

In her memory, teacher Vu Thi Thu Ha can never forget the difficult days of hunger and lack of clothing. Back then, her parents advised her against studying to become a teacher, but with her strong will, she resolutely chose the path of education .

From 1988 to 2019, she taught countless generations of students. For her, teaching was not just a means of livelihood, but also about instilling faith and hope in underprivileged children. During her teaching years, she secured tuition waivers for poor students and provided tutoring to give them better opportunities for education.

"When I was in school, I sometimes felt disadvantaged because I was from a poor family. So when I grew up and started teaching, I tried to find ways to help poor students," Ms. Ha shared.

Ms. Vu Thi Thu Ha shares a charity meal with people and children during a charity trip to a remote area in the west of Quang Ngai.

PHOTO: HA VY

Even after retiring, Ms. Ha is dedicated to another kind of class: a class of compassion and kindness, helping those less fortunate around her. To do this, each month, she sets aside money from her pension to buy rice, food, medicine, and other necessities for about 10 people who are seriously ill, underprivileged children, or elderly people living alone. "If I don't help, they won't know who to rely on," she says.

Each time she encounters such people, Ms. Ha listens, shares, and instills in them faith in life. Those she helps are always moved, knowing that with Ms. Ha by their side, their daily worries lessen.

Having a passion for teaching in remote villages, the teacher instills faith in life.

Ms. Ha often visits remote villages in Kon Tum. These are poor villages in the west of Quang Ngai: Teresa, Sa Loong, Po To, Ha Dong (Gia Lai)...

There, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken seeing barefoot children and sick elderly people living off the kindness of the community. Whenever someone messaged her saying a village needed help, she would rush off, without any prior planning. "I go wherever I hear there's a need. I can't even remember how many trips I've made," Ms. Ha shared.

The moment the children sat on the ground eating noodles made her remember forever.

PHOTO: HA VY

Each of Ms. Ha's trips is a story connected to the lives, villages, and unforgettable moments of her people. She personally cooks hundreds of bowls of noodles and rice meals for an entire impoverished village. She feels joy and happiness when each hot meal is distributed to the sick, young children, or lonely elderly people.

During Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas, or Lunar New Year, Ms. Ha also brings books, toys, and treats to organize small celebrations, creating joyful moments for the children and helping them forget the hardships of the past.

Ms. Ha recalls that some trips took an entire day, starting early in the morning and arriving late in the evening. When she lacked funds, she would call on friends and seek support from philanthropists. In this way, with each trip, she became a connecting thread of kindness with those in need.

During those charitable activities, she witnessed many heart-wrenching scenes. There was the sight of a child dropping a candy on the ground; even when she offered another, the child would pick it up, brush off the dirt, and eat it with relish. Another time, after distributing noodles to the village, she saw a child carefully putting half a bowl of noodles into a plastic bag. When she asked, the child replied, "I'm saving some for my younger sibling."

Ms. Vu Thi Thu Ha

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

During her trips to those remote villages, Ms. Ha felt the joy and pain of others, and her heart ached. "I want to give more whenever I see such scenes. Each time I go, I realize there are still so many lives that need help, but I'm afraid I don't have enough strength to help them in the long term," she shared.

Ms. Ha just hopes that the people she helps will improve, she doesn't need fame, she doesn't need anyone to repay her.

Ms. Huynh Thi Dan Tram, a long-time colleague of Ms. Ha working at Tran Hung Dao Secondary School in Kon Tum Ward (Quang Ngai), shared that Ms. Ha is a very compassionate person who, despite her busy schedule, still finds time to do charity work.

"Almost every month she goes to charity work, sometimes traveling dozens of kilometers. She doesn't hesitate to help anyone who needs it," said Ms. Tram.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mang-yeu-thuong-den-nguoi-ngheo-cau-chuyen-cho-di-cua-mot-co-giao-185251021154031839.htm