Sow seeds of love from compassion.

Teacher Nguyen Van Dien was born in 1970 in Hung Yen. In 1995, he moved to teach in Ha Giang province (now Tuyen Quang province), the northernmost region of Vietnam. There, he met and married teacher Tran Thi Lan, originally from Hai Phong . They have two children, a son and a daughter, both currently serving in the military.

Teacher Nguyen Van Dien and the orphaned children at "Duong Hien Orphanage".

Having worked as a teacher in a remote village for many years, Mr. Dien understands the lives of the people here, who still face many difficulties and shortages, and the school attendance rate is low. Especially the orphaned children, who lack not only material necessities but also the warmth and love of a family. They are accustomed to meals lacking meat, thin clothes, and empty houses at night. What they need is not just education, but also a roof over their heads, a warm kitchen, and someone they can call a father or mother. Most of them live as vagrants, sometimes having enough to eat, sometimes not, their bodies thin and dark... If these children are left like this, what will their future be like?

Driven by his love for his profession and affection for children, Mr. Dien felt deep compassion for them. Whenever he thought about the lives of the orphaned children here, he couldn't hold back his tears. Beyond the bounds of a teacher's compassion, Mr. Dien often considered, "Maybe I should take in a few children and teach them to read and write," but due to his work and family responsibilities, he put it aside. However, in his mind, Mr. Dien always remembered President Ho Chi Minh's words during his lifetime: "If the sprout is green, the tree will be strong; if the bud is green, the leaves will be fresh and the fruit will be good; if children are properly nurtured and educated , the nation will be strong and independent." That saying served as his guiding principle, giving him the motivation to establish the "Duong Hien Shelter" for orphaned children and elderly people without a place to live.

"Duong Hien Orphanage" is currently caring for nearly 40 orphaned children.
Teacher Nguyen Van Dien and the orphaned children.

Mr. Dien said that the reason for deciding to do this meaningful work stemmed from his love for the children here and partly from his family. He recounted: "My father was also an orphan because my grandfather passed away when my father was only 3 years old. My stepfather loved my father very much. Every time he returned home, my father would often confide in me that people should always strive to do good things for society, and that's what motivated me to establish this shelter." He added, "At first, this was difficult and complicated because many people said I was crazy." Even my wife initially strongly opposed it when she heard people saying I was bringing home a flock of "free-range chickens" to raise. The tension reached its peak when my wife demanded a divorce... When I calmed down, I took her hand and choked out, "These orphaned children already lack material things, but they also desperately need emotional support. As Party members, we both have a responsibility to help them become useful members of society." Faced with my determination and love for the children, she gradually understood and joined me in caring for them.

Home in the border region

In September 2018, the Duong Hien Orphanage was established in Phu Linh commune, Vi Xuyen district, Ha Giang province (now Phu Linh commune, Tuyen Quang province). This is where Mr. Dien extends his warm embrace, caring for and protecting nearly 40 orphaned children from the Mong, Tay, Nung, and Dao ethnic groups across 11 districts and towns of the former Ha Giang province, creating a "special" family. Some families consist of two sisters or two or three orphaned siblings, all welcomed by Mr. Dien into the orphanage. Despite their different circumstances and ages, they all share the commonality of "two no's" (no remaining relatives, no clear family history). When it was first established, the house was cramped, and living facilities were lacking; Mr. Dien even used his family's living room as sleeping quarters for the children. Many of the children were not fluent in Vietnamese, so Mr. Dien had to invest time in teaching them from scratch, laying the foundation for their future education.

When welcoming the children here, Mr. Dien used the love and care of a father and mother to teach and guide them in every detail, treating them as his own children. Mr. Dien shared: “Initially, providing food and clothing for nearly 40 children was no easy task. I had to balance expenses carefully, using income from renting out the house, plus the savings of my wife and I. Every day, the teachers and students eat whatever is available, but their spiritual lives have improved greatly. The children are all very happy and excited to be in their new home. Although they are not related by blood, the children in the highlands live together very affectionately. They call each other brothers and sisters, and affectionately call my wife and me: Teacher and Mother.”

Ms. Tran Thi Lan said: “My husband and I not only provide our children with food and shelter, but more importantly, we educate and raise them to be good people. I teach them everything from bathing and washing clothes to folding clothes and how to greet guests when we have them. The children are very happy, love each other, and study diligently, treating this place like their own home. On days off, they divide the tasks among themselves: some grow vegetables, some raise pigs and chickens, some clean the house, and some cook meals...”

Teacher Nguyen Van Dien and the children from "Duong Hien Orphanage" at the "Acts of Kindness" Gala organized by Vietnam Television in early 2026.

Every day, the children go to school. In the evening, after dinner, they all sit down to study. Mr. Dien checks their homework, and if he finds anything the children don't understand, he acts as their tutor. Thanks to this, in recent years, 100% of the children at the shelter have been promoted to the next grade. They participated in the provincial-level student excellence competition (Ly Thu Hien won third prize in Literature, and Tho Thi Sung won a consolation prize in Foreign Language). Ly Thu Hien shared: "My parents passed away early, and I lived with my uncle. When I came to live with you, I was able to go to school and learn to read and write. I thank you very much, teacher; thanks to you, I have achieved the success I have today."

Currently, the Duong Hien shelter has received attention and assistance from several philanthropists and family members of the children, who provide rice, rice noodles, and instant noodles, while the children are able to provide their own vegetables. Hoang Thi Duyen, 14 years old, emotionally recounted: “Before coming to live with the teacher, my life was a struggle, sometimes I had enough to eat, sometimes I didn't. But now, every meal I get to eat a full meal with meat and plenty of vegetables.”

Comrade Le Xuan Huong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Linh Commune, Tuyen Quang Province, said, "In recent times, Duong Hien Shelter has been highly regarded as a reputable social welfare facility in caring for children with particularly difficult circumstances. Teacher Dien is always wholeheartedly dedicated to the children, taking care of their meals, sleep, and helping them have opportunities to study so that they can become good citizens for society in the future."

Spreading kindness

Currently living at the Duong Hien orphanage are 34 orphaned children and two elderly people over 70 years old. Mr. Dien said: “First and foremost, you have to love the children, be close to them, encourage them, and treat them like your own father so they will be happy. Sometimes you comfort them, other times you are firm and disciplined. The orphanage not only nurtures them but also aims for comprehensive education, so that in the future the children will become useful members of society.” Because he wanted to wholeheartedly care for the children, from January 2024, Mr. Dien requested early retirement to dedicate all his efforts to the orphanage. Every day, in addition to the children's school time, at home Mr. Dien guides them with their studies, teaches them how to grow vegetables, and raise chickens and ducks, so that they learn to appreciate hard work and improve their daily meals.

Bien Tien Nuong, an 8th-grade student of the Tay ethnic group, emotionally shared: "The effort of raising a child is greater than the effort of giving birth. My father passed away early, and my mother left to remarry. I came here to live with my teachers, and I've been loved by them. For the past five years, I've consistently achieved excellent academic results." Recalling the time during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr. Dien shared with us: "During social distancing, I had to worry about daily meals and living expenses while also focusing on disease prevention and control. Many days I lost sleep and appetite, and I became very thin. Fortunately, our home was safe."

Thanks to the dedicated and attentive care and teaching of Mr. Dien and Ms. Lan, the children in the highlands gradually adapted to their new lives, attending school and living in the love of everyone. They learned to read and write, sing and dance, and take care of their personal hygiene. Seeing the children's smiles, their confidence, and their daily progress, Mr. Dien considers it his greatest happiness. As a teacher with a compassionate heart, he has guided them towards suitable careers after high school. To date, one child has become a police officer, and three are studying at vocational colleges.

Driven by his love for children, Mr. Dien, like a diligent bee, diligently collects tiny drops of honey each day to bring sweetness to the impoverished lives in the remote border region. He hopes that when these children grow up, their baggage will not only be knowledge but also a compassionate heart, capable of loving and sharing even with those who are not related to them by blood.

As I said goodbye to Mr. Dien, I vividly remember his words: "If my children are well-behaved, studious, and polite, and grow up to be decent people, then I will be completely satisfied and happy." Mr. Dien's actions not only wrote an inspiring story about compassion and kindness, but also spread the profound humanistic values ​​of human relationships, thereby contributing to building a more civilized and developed society in this new era.

Teacher Nguyen Van Dien has been awarded 8 "Outstanding Emulation Soldier" titles at the grassroots level; received a commemorative medal from the President of Vietnam for being a "Model of the Kind Deeds Program, 2024"; and will be awarded the title of "Outstanding Citizen of Tuyen Quang Province" in 2025.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-17/nguoi-thay-co-tam-long-bo-tat-1032572