Good footsteps

Friendly, approachable, and always full of positive energy – that was our first impression of Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Hien, a resident of Duc Xuan ward and a leading figure in the local voluntary blood donation and charitable activities movement. For her, doing good deeds isn't about grand gestures, but simply about "living to share, living to love."

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Hien during a voluntary blood donation event.

39 times voluntarily donated blood

Even as a student, Hoang Thi Thu Hien was accustomed to saving her breakfast money or Lunar New Year gift money to donate to those in need. Every time she went to the market with her mother, she would often see disabled people or elderly street vendors, and she would shyly ask her mother for some change to help them.

Growing up surrounded by such simple lessons about compassion, Hien seemed to have an early affinity for the path of volunteerism.

As a student, she became even more active in community activities: donating to flood victims, helping children in mountainous areas, participating in "Green Summer" campaigns in Lang Son , Bac Giang, Hai Duong, and other provinces.

Trips to distant lands and stories of hardworking people have given Hien many experiences and instilled in her a simple belief: giving is the way to keep one's heart warm.

To date, Hien has participated in blood donation 39 times, a number that has earned her much admiration. Her involvement in this activity came about quite naturally. In her first year of university, after being informed about the importance of blood donation, Hien boldly registered to participate.

Stepping onto the mobile blood donation vehicle at the school gate for the first time, the young student was both nervous and emotional. And since that day, Hien has become one of the active members of the 27/2 Branch, Hanoi City Youth Volunteer Association for Humanitarian Blood Donation.

Hoang Thi Thu Hien shared her feelings: "Initially, I only thought about donating blood to save lives. But when I went to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion and held the tiny hands of sick children, I truly understood the profound meaning of the blood I donated. Therefore, I only hope to contribute a small part, sowing more hope for those less fortunate."

After graduating and returning to her hometown to work, Hien maintained that same enthusiasm. Throughout her years as Secretary of the Youth Union of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Ward (now merged into Duc Xuan Ward), she proactively proposed organizing blood donation activities and established a Youth Volunteer Team for blood donation in 2014, consisting of 11 members.

Instead of just waiting for programs launched by higher authorities, she and her team members directly propagated and encouraged union members and young people to proactively go to the former Bac Kan Provincial General Hospital and register to donate blood when someone urgently needed it.

To date, the Youth Volunteer Team "Promoting Humanitarian Blood Donation" continues to operate regularly with 30 members. Every year, the team coordinates blood donation drives, raises funds to support patients, and calls for emergency blood donations when needed.

Many members of the team have become exemplary role models in voluntary blood donation, including one who has donated blood more than 30 times, four who have donated more than 10 times, and seven who have donated between 5 and 9 times.

Not only do Ms. Hien and her volunteers contribute to spreading the message "Every drop of blood donated saves a life," but they also quietly sow seeds of love in the community through simple, persistent actions over the years. For them, every drop of blood donated is a heartbeat of love given back to life.

The bird's wings never tire.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Hien, in her blue volunteer uniform, is always enthusiastic about community service activities.

Hoang Thi Thu Hien continues to find joy in her charitable journeys. From her first volunteer trips in the youth volunteer uniform, she began calling on people to join hands in supporting children in remote areas with clothes, warm blankets, cash, and school supplies.

On many occasions, she organized cultural exchange programs to raise funds, clean up, cut hair, and give gifts to children at the Center for Education of Children with Disabilities (now the Bac Kan Center for Supporting Inclusive Education Development).

Hoang Thi Thu Hien humbly shared: "I feel that what I'm doing is still very small. I only hope I can do more to help them. I also hope that more young people will join in volunteer work and blood donation. That would be wonderful…"

From 2020 to the present, she, along with other youth union members, has undertaken fundraising activities such as parking management, contributing gifts worth nearly 20 million VND; she has also spearheaded the construction of 15 youth projects, including roads, irrigation ditches, playgrounds, libraries, handwashing facilities, and roofs for disadvantaged families, with a total value of over 220 million VND.

These activities attracted hundreds of youth union members and young people. In addition, she collaborated with other units to carry out five community projects – building bridges, extending electricity lines, planting trees, paving courtyards, and replacing the roofs of cultural centers – contributing to changing the face of rural areas.

Not only focusing on specific projects, Ms. Hien also inspires young people with creative ideas. The establishment of the Minh Khai Lion Dance Team is one such idea, providing a playground and income for young people while also becoming a "bridge of love," bringing joy to underprivileged children during the Mid-Autumn Festival or Lunar New Year.

As the team leader of the Provincial Red Cross Volunteer Task Force, Ms. Hien has directly participated in disseminating information, assigning tasks, and coordinating 40-60 volunteers to contribute to humanitarian relief activities and voluntary blood donation campaigns launched by the Provincial Red Cross Society. Between 2020 and 2025, she and her volunteers have encouraged nearly 1,000 people to donate blood. In addition, she is an active volunteer for the provincial food bank, assisting in the distribution of food to the poor and vulnerable.

For her persistent contributions, Hoang Thi Thu Hien has received numerous commendations and certificates of merit from the Bac Kan Provincial Youth Union and the Bac Kan Provincial Red Cross Society; in 2020, she was honored at the 5th National Emulation Congress of the Vietnam Red Cross Society. In 2025, Hoang Thi Thu Hien was nominated for an award by the Chairman of the Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee, based on the recommendation of the Chairman of the Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202510/nhung-buoc-chan-thien-lanh-b356f4c/