Mr. Tung often does good deeds.

Driven by a compassionate heart, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung (73 years old, residing in Ward 2, Vinh An town, Vinh Cuu district) has quietly been doing charity work for decades, hoping to share with those facing difficult and unfortunate circumstances in life.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung (third from the right, back row) has actively participated in local humanitarian and charitable activities for many years. Photo: Contributor

Mr. Tung shared: "Having come from an orphaned background, I deeply understand difficult and unfortunate circumstances. Therefore, I have long pursued my aspiration to do many good deeds to share love and help those less fortunate than myself, giving them the motivation to strive for a better life."

Sharing love

One day at the end of June 2025, we accompanied Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung and several members of the "Charity Porridge Pot" model to the Vinh Cuu District Medical Center to provide free porridge to underprivileged patients receiving treatment there. The members of the group kindly inquired about the patients' well-being, offered encouragement, and personally handed them warm, nutritious bowls of porridge. "It's not the gift itself, but the way it's given," and the charitable group's actions warmed the hearts of the patients.

Holding a bowl of porridge in her hands, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (residing in Phu Ly commune, Vinh Cuu district) emotionally shared: “I have been at the Vinh Cuu District Medical Center caring for my husband for nearly a week now. Our family is in difficult circumstances, so thanks to these compassionate bowls of porridge from the humanitarian charity group, I have been able to reduce some of the expenses, and my husband has been able to have nutritious meals to help him recover his health…”

Sharing his inspiration for establishing the "Charity Porridge Pot" model, Mr. Tung said that around 2012, he went for a medical check-up at the Vinh Cuu District Health Center. There, he noticed that most of the patients being treated at the center were from remote forests and had difficult circumstances. Many of them lacked adequate food, so he came up with the idea of ​​establishing the "Charity Porridge Pot" model to share love and help patients have delicious and nutritious meals.

Without hesitation, Mr. Tung boldly shared his idea of ​​establishing a "Charity Porridge Pot" model, which was immediately approved by the leaders of the Vinh Cuu District Red Cross Society. Since then, Mr. Tung has contributed a portion of his monthly pension to the Humanitarian Fund of the Vinh Cuu District Red Cross Society. At the same time, he daily rides his motorbike to solicit resources from philanthropists and charitable organizations. Thanks to this, the District Society, in coordination with the Vinh Cuu District Health Center, has organized the cooking of free porridge for patients and their caregivers.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung (second from the right) and the charity group donated free porridge to underprivileged patients receiving treatment at the Vinh Cuu District Medical Center.

“The 'Charity Porridge Pot' model has been maintained regularly for over 12 years now. Initially, we cooked porridge every day of the week, with quantities ranging from 40-50 servings. Later, many patients recovered and were discharged from the hospital on weekends, so the number of patients staying on Saturdays and Sundays was very small. Since then, our kitchen only cooks for patients 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) with an average of about 40 servings of porridge per day. We try to select experienced cooks to prepare nutritious porridge to help patients enjoy their meals and recover quickly,” Mr. Tung explained.

For his contributions to humanitarian and charitable activities, Mr. Tung has received numerous commemorative medals, certificates of merit, and commendations from various levels of government.

Actively doing good deeds

Mr. Tung recounted that he was born and raised in Hue City. During the turbulent war years, he joined groups of migrants moving to the South to live. He arrived in Ho Chi Minh City in 1964. There, he worked hard to find a job and then started a family to settle down.

After the liberation in 1975, Vinh Cuu was considered a "land of opportunity," and many people from all over the country came here to clear land and establish their lives. His wife's entire family decided to settle in Vinh Cuu district (their current residence) in July 1975, but Mr. Tung couldn't join them because he had a stable job with a good salary in Ho Chi Minh City (working as a laborer for a foreign company). In 1996, when his job at the company began to face difficulties, he decided to leave Ho Chi Minh City and return to Dong Nai to settle down with his family.

"When I returned to Dong Nai, I was hired to work at the Fisheries Sub-Department of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Department of Agriculture and Environment) and stayed there stably until my retirement in 2012," Mr. Tung shared.

When asked about his involvement in charitable work, Mr. Tung said that even while working in a government agency, he was trusted by the people and elected as a representative to the People's Council of Vinh An town, holding this position for two consecutive terms (2011-2016 and 2016-2021). After retiring and with a stable family life, he dedicated much of his time to social work and charitable activities in the locality. For example, he has been involved for many years in the Elderly Association of Ward 2, Vinh An town, and the Red Cross Society of Vinh An town. In addition, he has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Red Cross Society of Vinh Cuu district from 2016 to the present.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung and his charity group donated gifts to people in difficult circumstances in Vinh Cuu district.

Over the past period, Mr. Tung has dedicated much of his time to visiting local communities to understand the thoughts and aspirations of elderly members facing difficult circumstances, and to providing timely support. Each year, he regularly mobilizes philanthropists and benefactors to support the distribution of an average of 200-300 gift packages (each worth an average of 300-500 thousand VND) to elderly people facing hardship. He also actively participates in programs organized by the Red Cross, such as donating gifts to the poor, the sick, and those in need during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year). Mr. Tung's kindness has earned the respect and support of local people and philanthropists from near and far.

"For my charitable and humanitarian work to run smoothly and steadily for many years, my family has always been a strong support system. In particular, my wife has always been there, sharing and readily assisting me whenever I face difficulties and need help. That has given me the motivation to do meaningful things for the past few decades," Mr. Tung confided.

An Nhon

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202506/ong-tung-hay-lam-viec-thien-7d4156f/