Mr. Nguyen Hai Au and his wife. |
The dream of wearing a white lab coat remains unfulfilled.
Mr. Nguyen Hai Au was born in 1952 in Vo Tranh commune (formerly Co Lung commune, Phu Luong district). In 1970, the radiant 18-year-old passed the entrance exam to Viet Bac Medical School (now Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy), harboring the dream of becoming a doctor to save lives.
But the brutal war changed the course of that young man's life. In 1971, putting aside his dream of becoming a doctor, young Nguyen Hai Au donned a soldier's uniform and went to the Central Highlands battlefield.
During his five years in the military, he fought on many fierce battlefields in Gia Lai, Dak Lak , and Buon Ma Thuot. In 1975, while participating in the battle in Buon Ma Thuot town, he was hit by a directional bomb, shattering both his legs. Along with his severe injuries, doctors also informed him that he had been exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin.
"Back then, I simply thought it was just an injury. Later, as my health deteriorated and my children were born with health problems, I realized just how terrible the toxins I carried in my body were," Mr. Au recalled.
Returning to his hometown in 1976 with a 1/4 disability, he embarked on a new front – economic activity. He did all kinds of jobs, from farming and pulling ox carts for hire... to small-scale trading, to support his family alongside his wife.
The turning point came in 2000, when he recognized the potential for growth in the Bo Dau sticky rice cake making village. With his cheerful, generous personality and market knowledge, he successfully mobilized the villagers to build a brand together, and was elected Head of the Village Craft Committee. In 2005, he co-founded the Cooperative, and in 2013, he established Hao Au Limited Company.
"Everyone says Mr. Au is crazy, that he's too weak to take on such a big job. But I think that if a war invalid can't do heavy work, he should do something else. Sticky rice cakes are a precious legacy from our ancestors, and we must preserve and promote them," he confided.
Bringing traditional flavors to new heights.
Currently, Hao Au Co., Ltd. has 12 members, providing regular employment for 70 workers, with an income of 300,000 VND per person per day. Hao Au's sticky rice cakes are widely consumed throughout the country. From 2013 to the present, thanks to market expansion, he has accumulated an average of about 100 million VND per year from the sticky rice cake making business.
The secret to Hao Au's banh chung (Vietnamese sticky rice cake) lies in the meticulous selection of ingredients. These include sticky rice from Dinh Hoa, pork belly from the highlands, and wild dong leaves. Most notably, the water used to boil the banh chung comes from a well at the foot of Mount Cam – a source believed to give Bo Dau banh chung its unique flavor.
What earned Mr. Au the respect of the people was not only his business acumen, but also his compassionate heart, always reaching out to those in difficult circumstances. In the last five years alone, he has supported 22 impoverished households by donating rice monthly through the Red Cross.
Each year, he also sets aside 50 million VND for charity. He even dedicates one hectare of land to planting acacia trees, calling it a "garden of compassion," which yields about 2 million VND annually to contribute to the fund supporting victims of Agent Orange...
Mr. Nguyen Hai Au. |
Beyond providing material support, he is also an inspiration, helping those who have made mistakes to find their way back to life. The story of Nguyen Anh Tuan, a former convict who was hired by him at the company, is a vivid example of this.
"If it weren't for Mr. Au, I probably wouldn't be where I am today. He not only gave me a job, but also gave me the confidence to rebuild my life. Now I have a family, a small house, a car, and a lifelong passion for baking," Tuan shared emotionally.
For him, learning from President Ho Chi Minh is not about lofty words, but about concrete actions in every daily task. He was honored as a Vietnamese entrepreneur who followed President Ho Chi Minh's teachings, and was awarded the Outstanding Entrepreneur Commemorative Medal by the President of Vietnam at the Presidential Palace in 2015.
At 73, despite his declining health, he still works tirelessly alongside the bakers every day, remaining resolute, cheerful, and generous—a soldier's spirit that never fades. His life story, like the sticky rice cake from his hometown, is resilient, durable, perfectly square, and full of heartfelt sentiment.
“I think simply, as long as I’m alive and able to work, I should live a decent life. Following Uncle Ho’s teachings doesn’t mean doing anything grand, but rather making sure the cakes are delicious, keeping my word to customers, and helping whoever I can… Setting aside a few dozen kilograms of rice, a few cakes, and some money each month is a joy for me,” Mr. Âu shared with a simple but warm smile.
From a schoolboy dreaming of a white coat to a soldier returning home with a disability, and then becoming a businessman – Mr. Nguyen Hai Au has lived fully according to President Ho Chi Minh's teaching: "Disabled soldiers may be handicapped, but they are not useless." And in the flavor of each sticky rice cake, in the laughter of the workers, and in the joy of the poor families who have received help, the story of his compassionate heart continues to be written every day.
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/net-dep-doi-thuong/202507/song-dep-bang-hanh-dong-8b30f12/
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