As the sun has yet to rise, Mrs Ngo Thi Hanh, a worker at the Thanh Khe Environment Enterprise under the Da Nang Urban Environment JSC, begins her work quietly. Her long-handled bamboo broom and pushcart are her daily companions, helping to keep the city's streets clean and beautiful.

Illustrative image. Photo: baodanang.vn

At around 5:00 am every day, Mrs Hanh diligently and tirelessly sweeps the streets. The once leaf-laden and litter-strewn roads quickly become clean under the rustling sound of her broom. As she sweeps, she collects the debris and moves on to the next stretch of road. In this manner, the long road and its sidewalks are restored to their pristine state, ready to welcome a new day.

Regardless of whether it is a holiday or a regular day, whether it is sunny or rainy, her street cleaning duties continue uninterrupted. On windy days, she often finds that the leaves she has just swept away fall again behind her, or certain "hot spots" of waste reappear soon after being cleaned. Nevertheless, she and her co-workers persistently complete their assigned tasks without complaint.

Before becoming a sanitation worker, Mrs Hanh had various other jobs, such as cleaning at several markets in Thanh Khe District, to earn extra income and support her family. In 2018, she officially joined the Thanh Khe Environment Enterprise as a sanitation worker. The enterprise ensures that its workers receive adequate welfare benefits, health protection, and safety guarantees. Despite being assigned to clean a key route in the city, which is crowded with shops and heavy traffic, she remains dedicated to her work. She understands the inherent risks of being an environmental worker but continues to work diligently.

In spite of many difficulties in life, the woman maintains an optimistic outlook and great effort. She shares that positivity is crucial, and her job provides a stable income to pay rent and support her children. "The joy of a street sweeper is seeing the city become brighter, greener, cleaner, and more beautiful. We only hope that people's awareness improves, and they dispose of waste properly, making the work of environmental workers less arduous," Ms Hanh says.

Duong Ngoc Van, Deputy Director of the Thanh Khe Environment Enterprise, remarks that Mrs Hanh always performs her duties well, ensuring environmental sanitation in the district and enthusiastically participating in various labour competitions. Despite her challenging and pressured life circumstances, she consistently strives to overcome them. She indeed stands as a shining example of an environmental worker within the enterprise and the company.

Reporting by VIET AN - Translating by TRUC VY