People who take joy in doing good deeds

This year, Mr. Ngo Thanh Nghia, Vice President of the Charity and Child Rights Protection Association of Can Tho City, is 71 years old and his health has been affected by a mild stroke. However, he is still present on long trips and gift-giving trips to the needy. For more than 20 years, he has taken charity work as a joy.

Mr. Ngo Thanh Nghia gives gifts to disadvantaged students in Xa Phien commune, Can Tho city on the occasion of the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. Photo: NVCC

During his trips to give gifts to students and disadvantaged people in remote areas, Mr. Nghia was always loved for his friendliness and dedication. He was the initiator and contributor to the establishment of 3 outstanding activities of the Can Tho City Charity and Children's Rights Protection Association, including: 1,000 VND Volunteer Vegetarian Meal, Humanitarian Internal Medicine Clinic and 0 VND Store.

Mr. Nghia worked at the Can Tho City Charity and Children's Rights Protection Association in 2017. In 2018, he cooperated with a benefactor of the KC Real Estate Association to establish a 1,000 VND charity vegetarian restaurant in the association's premises. Over the past 7 years, despite financial difficulties or changes in personnel due to objective reasons, the restaurant has still been maintained in operation. Having enough food, seeing many people lacking clothes and utensils, Mr. Nghia proposed to open a 0 VND store, specializing in receiving donations of old clothes, shoes, notebooks, school bags, household items... to give to those in need. A small store was set up in the association's premises, next to the restaurant for diners or anyone in need to choose the items they need. In 2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic gradually subsided, Mr. Nghia discussed with retired doctors to establish a charity clinic, providing free medical examinations for the poor and disadvantaged. With the support of dedicated people in the medical industry, in August of that year, the Humanitarian Internal Medicine Clinic was established. From the licensing process to the construction and repair of the clinic, Mr. Nghia actively participated. Over the past 3 years, the clinic has been operating stably, examining patients twice a month on Saturday mornings every other week, becoming a familiar address for disadvantaged patients.

“Thanks to the Can Tho City Charity and Children’s Rights Protection Association creating the best conditions, along with the financial support of benefactors and the efforts of doctors and nurses… the activities of the rice shops, clinics, and zero-dong stores have been maintained stably for many years. I hope that these activities will continue for a long time and spread more widely, and many people will join hands to help those in difficult lives,” Mr. Nghia shared.

Previously, Mr. Nghia worked for 20 years in an agricultural and food company, then quit to open a household electrical appliance store and started participating in charity activities, sometimes of associations, groups, and sometimes as an individual. After that, he joined the charity group specializing in building charity houses in O Mon district (old) for 10 years, contributing to the construction of hundreds of houses for households with housing difficulties. In 2017, he joined the Charity and Child Rights Protection Association of Can Tho City until now.

In addition to the association's common activities, Mr. Nghia also has a charity group consisting of friends, doctors, and long-time acquaintances who organize campaigns and give gifts to the needy and children in remote areas of provinces and cities. He said: "Our group often combines charity with exploring our country. After giving gifts (rice, noodles, necessities) to people in a certain locality, the group will go to famous places in that province or city. We have traveled to many places, from the provinces in the Mekong Delta to the East, Central, and Central Highlands... Those trips are to help people, connect people, and spread the good deeds of Can Tho people."

Most recently, the group went on a trip to give 400 Mid-Autumn Festival gifts on October 5 to children in Xa Phien commune, Can Tho city. Although this trip was only one day, everyone was happy to see the bright smiles of the children on the full moon night. This is also the locality where the group has given gifts many times in recent years.

For the people of the Central region affected by storms and floods, Mr. Nghia has participated in 6 relief trips of many organizations and volunteer groups. He said: “In addition to transporting goods on and off the vehicle, the road is also difficult due to fallen trees, garbage or mud blocking the road, the group members have to go down to clean up for the vehicle to pass. Now my health is weak due to the effects of the stroke, I can no longer participate in relief trips, I only contribute funds.”

His wife, Mrs. Tran Thi Phuong Mai, often accompanies him on charity trips near and far and supports him in organizing and connecting with benefactors. She is also the one who encourages, cares for, and helps him recover quickly after the stroke in 2022. In addition to physical therapy, Mr. Nghia also goes to yoga with his wife early in the morning. After recovering his health, he still maintains the habit of practicing yoga in the morning and going to the gym in the afternoon. In their free time, they go on motorbike trips . For him, such a life is more than enough.

Cat Dang

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/nguoi-lay-viec-thien-lam-niem-vui-a192737.html