Recently, the “For the Poor of Trà Vinh” campaigns have become initiatives of profound political, social, and humanitarian significance, promoting solidarity and mutual support while helping people in poverty overcome difficulties and improve their lives.
Every time we take part in social work, our hearts hold a range of emotions and countless beautiful images. Perhaps that is why this trip to Trà Vinh will stay with us, the members of the Giấc Mơ Đôi Chân Thiên Thần Fund, forever and ever!
As this journey of love comes to a close, it is time to tell one another about the wonderful things we shared with each other and with local people that day!
This charitable program was organized by the Đồng ngôn MT Community, whose members were extraordinarily energetic and active throughout the trip and are affectionately known as the “Angels in Red Shirts.”
The Giấc Mơ Đôi Chân Thiên Thần Fund supported the program with 30.000.000 VND — equivalent to 600 medicine packages for local people — along with enthusiastic volunteers who joined the group. Other sponsors also supported the program, including:
- FIT Group Company (FIT consumer, FIT cosmetics, FIT beverage)
- Dược Cửu Long
- Euvipharm
- Benovas
- Vikoda
- The sponsors, benefactors, and especially the Zumba Fitness Thanh Truong community contributed to support the program.
Oh, Trà Vinh… let's set off!
On the afternoon of 04/05, we arrived at the meeting point on Lê Hồng Phong, ready to set off together. Trà Vinh is a coastal province in the Mekong Delta, 120 km south of Saigon. It had been a long time since we had visited the delta, and this trip to Trà Vinh brought a very different feeling.
The vehicle rolled along smoothly. Throughout the journey, everyone was radiant and excited despite having spent a long day at work and dealing with life's demands. After more than 4 hours, we arrived.
The bus arrived in Trà Vinh at almost midnight. After a meeting to assign tasks and transport gifts, we finally rested together at 1:30 a.m.
Good things officially begin!
The next morning, at 5:30 a.m., more than 100 volunteers woke up and finished preparations in their respective areas to officially welcome local residents at 7 a.m. Their faces were radiant and fresh, loving smiles on their lips, as we told one another: “Let's spread love to the people together!”
Just as the program began, it started raining quite heavily, and everyone in our group worried about the residents coming for medical examinations. Contrary to our concerns, so many people came that there were barely any seats left. In that moment, our hearts ached! My fellow members of the Giấc Mơ Đôi Chân Thiên Thần Fund and I suddenly realized that we needed to organize many more programs like this and bring many more blessings to people in this remote place—people who truly need help!
Volunteers help elderly residents to the examination area
Children, young people, adults, and the elderly all came in large numbers. Seeing elderly people brave the rain from far away was deeply moving. Some could barely walk; lifting their feet and bending down or standing up was so difficult that volunteers had to help. The children arriving for examinations looked so innocent and lovely. Through conversation, I learned that women there had cycled long distances to be examined. Sharing these stories made us feel both moved and proud!
A daughter-in-law (standing) and her mother-in-law (the seated elderly woman) holding hands as they go for a medical checkup together
Standing outside putting residents' sandals into bags, I felt happy because even as I gave, I received so many words of thanks and affectionate looks. By noon, 800 people had come for examinations and treatment. We were delighted that they had come and that the rain had stopped.
The smile the volunteer team voted the most beautiful of the day!
What beautiful scenes of the volunteer team we encountered! Letting others eat lunch first, gently supporting residents by hand and arm, speaking softly, placing each pair of sandals in a bag, helping people through the rain, carrying gifts all the way to their homes, giving them sips of water, finding chairs, fanning them while they waited for examinations; some doctors even stood to measure blood pressure so residents could have their chairs… and countless other wonderful acts. We are deeply grateful and proud to have such wonderful angels in our community!
Medical Examinations, Treatment, and Medicine Distribution
During this medical outreach, doctors discovered that many residents had chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and eye disorders, but were unaware of them and had not received adequate treatment because of financial hardship.
For mild cases, doctors dispensed medicine; for serious cases, they advised and guided patients to higher-level hospitals for treatment.
Distributing gifts to local residents
Though modest, the gifts were given in the hope of easing some of the hardships faced by local residents.
In the Mekong Delta, we felt the people's deep humanity, sincerity, enthusiasm, and simplicity. Their warmth was evident in the generous welcome at every meal. They may not be materially wealthy, but their emotional generosity is immense. This is what I remember most and what left the deepest impression on me during this charity trip.
Through their eyes and smiles, we could feel how happy local residents were to receive gift bags from the volunteer team!
The whole team’s achievement
Results of the morning medical examinations:
– Total prescriptions: 967
– Total laboratory test orders: 665
– Total ECG examinations: 12 (due to a technical fault with the machine…)
– Total ultrasound examinations: 137
– Total gynecological examinations: 72
– Total eye examinations: 115; eyeglasses distributed: 335
– Total haircuts: 32
– Total adult gift packages: 900
– Total student gift packages: 277
– Total bicycles: 24; wheelchairs: 12; hand-propelled mobility tricycles: 11
– Total secondhand clothing: More than 2500 sets of various new and used clothes
– Total bread rolls: 1500
Spending two weekend days in Trà Vinh, we felt it was a truly worthwhile decision among the important choices before us.
This trip was deeply meaningful and brought us many heartfelt emotions. It will perhaps remain a memory etched in everyone’s hearts. We hope that you and I, together with the Giấc Mơ Đôi Chân Thiên Thần Fund, can spread the word and organize more charity trips like this to help people living in poverty and experience the fascinating lives of people in different places.
Remembering the smiles and joyful expressions of local people as they waited for medical examinations and received medicine and gifts from our group, many of us could not hold back tears of emotion.
One member of our group shared: “It was through this trip that I realized that things which may have little value to us can be very precious gifts to people living in poverty, because we know the effort we put in has brought joy to so many people.”
We learn valuable lessons on every trip. This time was no different: we felt very happy and sincerely thank the charitable organizations and members of Đồng ngôn MT for giving us the chance to join this meaningful two-day volunteer journey. We wish the people of Trà Vinh good health and happiness.
Goodbye, Trà Vinh; goodbye to its admirable people, full of love and enthusiasm! May there be many more meaningful trips that give young people opportunities to share such value!