Mr Vo Van Duc, Deputy Head of the Duc Tam Club of Charities and Children's Rights Protection in Da Nang’s Lien Chieu District, has become actively involved in doing charitable activities over the past decade despite his age.

Mr Duc cleaning up tables and chairs at the charity classroom …

… and visiting Mrs Lanh’s family

When seeing many pupils becoming addicted to video games because their parents cannot afford their tuition fees for classes during summer school holiday, the 69-year-old man has cooperated with Mr Nguyen Duc Cu, leader of the residential group No 38, and retired teacher Kieu Thi Thanh, Head of the Study Encouragement Chapter in Hoa Khanh Bac Ward, to open a free class for poor pupils.

They have together appealed for donations from the public to buy tables and chairs, textbooks, notebooks, and a blackboard for the charity class.

In the school summer break in 2012, the first class was opened at a community house of the residential area.

Two female teachers from the Hong Quang Primary School in Hoa Khanh Nam Ward have become volunteers to teach Maths and Literature at this charity class without salary. To date, the number of pupils at the class has increased from 5 to up to 50.

Apart from being taught school lessons, poor pupils are given free uniforms, textbooks, notebooks, and pens.

After finishing 3-month summer class, outstanding attendees will be honoured and presented with gifts.

Most notably, Mr Duc and some of his friends have donated their own money to  needy people.

In particular, the kind-hearted aged man is giving a helping hand to 42-year-old Phan Thi Lanh in very difficult circumstances.

Mrs Lanh has a total of 3 children - one daughter and twin boys. Her daughter is growing up normally like other children, whilst twin boys are suffering serious diseases.

Especially, her older son just lies in bed because he suffers from cerebral palsy, and the 11-year-old boy only weighs 8 kg. Meanwhile, the youngest son is suffering from a congenital heart disease, and he has undergone heart surgeries for 4 times.

Mrs Lanh’s family is very poor as she is unemployed and her husband earns only a little money from doing unstable jobs. The costs of the medical treatments for her sons are so high that they cannot afford them.

Therefore, Mr Duc often brings milk bottles and cakes to Mrs Lanh’s family, plus gives them a little money regardless of whether it is raining or sunny.

In addition to appealing for donations to help poor pupils, the warm-hearted man has collected donated food for the charity kitchen of the Da Nang Mental Hospital at 193 Nguyen Luong Bang.

Every morning, he often goes to markets to collect vegetables and pork donated by traders there, and then brings them to the hospital’s charity kitchen.

Mr Phan Van Dai, Chairman of the Hoa Khanh Bac Ward People’s Committee,  highlighted acts of kindness offered by Mr Duc in helping the local needy.

The kind-hearted 69-year-old man is one of the city’s 72 honourees in recognition of their active involvement in the local patriotic emulation movements in June. Also, the honourees were awarded Certificates of Merit from the municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho.