THE HEART OF A "BAREFOOT ENGINEER"
Arriving at Dong Quoi hamlet at noon on the last day of November 2025, more than 20 people from Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team were mixing batches of concrete to pour the piers of Cai Be 3 bridge connecting Dong Quoi and Khanh Hoa hamlets.
The working atmosphere was bustling, each person had a part to do, and they coordinated very well; the ladies scooped rocks and sand into buckets, while the men divided into two groups, one group carried rocks and cement to pour into the mortar mixer, and there was always one person on duty to supervise the mortar mixing to produce quality batches of concrete.
The remaining group poured the bridge piers, some people stood guard over the mixer pouring concrete into the bucket of the Kobe truck, while skilled masons sat on the bridge foundation outside the river, waiting for Kobe to bring down the concrete and then used trowels to spread it evenly over the surface.
The work is heavy, with smoke and dust from cement, sand, and rocks in front of them, but with enthusiasm, the members of the Team do not mind the hardship. Standing next to the clattering mortar mixer, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan (51 years old, Tan Thuan hamlet, Phong Hoa commune) always tries to control the machine to mix evenly to produce each batch of quality concrete to pour the bridge piers.
Mr. Tuan confided: “My family is a farmer. After Uncle Ho Minh Thu encouraged me to join in building bridges and roads for many years. I can do any job from carrying rocks, cement to mixing mortar...
Although it is a bit tiring, every time I see a bridge or road being built, I feel very excited."
Not far from the mortar mixer, Mr. Lu Van Ut Bach (66 years old, residing in Hung Quoi 1 hamlet, Tan Khanh Trung commune) was sitting on the bridge pier pouring frame under the river, his hands deftly using a trowel to spread concrete according to the bridge pier's mold.
With sweat dripping down his face, Mr. Ut Bach said as he worked: “This year, I am 66 years old, my health is not as good as before, but I still contribute to building bridges and roads. This work is also hard, but I get used to it, and if I don’t do it, I feel sad.”
Not only the old farmers, many women and girls are also enthusiastic about building bridges and roads. Ms. Le Thi Ve (63 years old, Hung Quoi 1 hamlet, Tan Khanh Trung commune) shared: "My family's economy is stable, so I joined the Volunteer Team. I do jobs such as: shoveling rocks, sand, pouring water for the mortar mixer...
Tan Khanh Dong enthusiastically participates in building rural bridges and roads.
On average, each year, I participate in building about 4-5 bridges and roads. I contribute my efforts with the Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team to build many bridges and roads, contributing to making people's travel more convenient."
In addition to the people in the province, Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team also attracted many people from other provinces to participate. Ms. Phan Thi Truc Ha (50 years old) and Mr. Le Van Thao (48 years old), residing in Binh Phu 1 hamlet, Binh Hoa commune, An Giang province, traveled more than 50 km from An Giang to Sa Dec ward to contribute to building the bridge. Ms. Truc Ha said: "Every day, Mr. Minh Thu told me that my husband and I would arrange our housework to come and do it. Participating in the construction of bridges and roads helps me have more spiritual joy when I can help society."
CONNECTING BRIDGES OF DREAMS
Although they are simple old farmers, busy with farm work, not professional bridge engineers, the members of the Team all share the same volunteer spirit.
Their meaningful work is to contribute their sweat and effort to build bridges and rural roads.
Sharing about the opportunity to establish the Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team, Sa Dec Ward, Mr. Ho Minh Thu, Team Leader, said that his family was in the business of producing ornamental flowers, previously residing in Tan Khanh Dong Commune, Sa Dec City (old).
With the desire to help society, he had the idea of repairing and building bridges and roads to support local traffic development.
Mr. Thu said: “Thinking is doing, my brothers and sisters with good hearts in the neighborhood decided to build bridges and repair roads. At that time, the construction of bridges and roads was still very rudimentary, mainly wooden bridges and small concrete bridges.
Over time, the number of members participating has increased. Since around 2018, the group changed its name to Tan Khanh Dong Commune Volunteer Team, currently Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team, Sa Dec Ward. The brothers and sisters in the Team are very enthusiastic, many of them live far away, have busy work, but when I told them, they came to contribute to the work.
Up to now, the Volunteer Team has about 50 members, who are volunteers in provinces such as Dong Thap, An Giang, Can Tho... The main job of the Team is to build bridges and roads for free inside and outside Sa Dec ward.
Not only contributing labor days, the members of the Team also voluntarily contributed money to build bridges and spacious roads to serve the people.
In addition, Mr. Ho Minh Thu also received support from local donors to help buy construction materials. In some projects, Mr. Thu not only contributed money but also directly participated in labor, working with his colleagues from the beginning to the end of the projects.
“We are just amateur workers, so at first the bridge was not beautiful and had some limitations. However, we learned from each other, shared and advised each other to make the bridge and road construction more and more perfect.
Building bridges and roads is quite hard work, but every time I see a newly completed bridge, my heart fills with joy, dispelling all fatigue. That is also the motivation for me to stick with this job over the years,” Mr. Thu shared.
Over the years, Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team has contributed more than 1,000 working days, directly built 12 concrete bridges, 2 wooden bridges, constructed over 1 km of paved road and paved over 1 km of dirt road...
This helps people travel and trade goods more conveniently. Since the beginning of 2025, the Construction Team has built 2 concrete bridges and 500 meters of paved road.
The above results clearly demonstrate the spirit of solidarity, dedication and responsibility towards the community of the Volunteer Team. Regardless of sunny or rainy days, the members of the Team still diligently contribute to building bridges and traffic routes. This journey of love has connected the two banks, bringing excitement to many rural people.
Sharing the joy of having a convenient road, Mrs. Nguyen Thi That (89 years old, living in Dong Quoi hamlet, Sa Dec ward) excitedly said: "Before, in front of my house was a small, narrow stone road, making it difficult to travel in the rain, especially when transporting velvet grass to sell.
Last month, the road was paved with support from the Government and the Volunteer Team in the ward. The newly completed road is spacious, clean and beautiful, helping people travel conveniently. I am very excited."
Comrade Le Thi Tuyet Nhung, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Sa Dec Ward, said: “The practical contributions of Mr. Ho Minh Thu and members of the Tan Khanh Dong Volunteer Team have contributed to improving travel conditions, serving production and people's lives.
Thereby, consolidating and promoting the spirit of solidarity in the community, creating a spreading force in the patriotic emulation movement, the road-bridge building movement in Sa Dec ward and promoting the cultural values and affection of Sa Dec people".
MY XUYEN
Source: https://baodongthap.vn/nhip-cau-thien-nguyen-noi-nhung-bo-vui-a233798.html
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