NgheAn (VNS/VNA) - Mong Van Thanh, a seventh-grader of Bac Lysemi-boarding school for ethnic minorities, browses second-hand books andwarm clothes at the charity house in Huoi Trang 1 Village, Bac Ly Commune, thecentral province of Nghe An.

Thanhsaid he arrived at the charity house in the early morning. He said he didnot have enough books to study, so he hoped he could find some that heneeded and more warm clothes to wear during the cold days.

Hundredsof other people from the two communes of Bac Ly and My Ly also came to thecharity house in recent days to search for necessities. Bac Ly and My Ly arepoor communes of the province’s Ky Son District where many ethnic minoritypeople live.

Thecharity house opened on January 10 thanks to the efforts of soldiers of theMy Ly Border Guard Station under the provincial Border Guard Command toshare difficulties with local poor residents.

MajorHoang The Tai, of the border guard station, said the idea to open the charityhouse came after the station learned that more than 90 percent of the localpopulation were on the list of poor households. Local people mainly earneda living by farming.

Thecharity house, with the spirit of 'Whoever needs, come to get it; whoever hasenough, come to share it' opens between Friday and Sunday every week. A personcan take two items for free each time.  The items include books, clothes,rice, noodles, eggs and vegetables, he said.

Thecharity house, covering an area of 100 sq.m, was built by the soldiers over twomonths, he said.

CutVan May, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bac Ly Commune, said thecommune authorities welcomed the meaningful work of the border guard stationand supported the soldier's efforts.

MajorNguyen Xuan Son, of the My Ly Border Guard Station, who is in charge ofrunning the charity house, said the charity house was very meaningfuland a place to spread the spirit of sharing and kindness.

Booksand clothes were sent by charity groups from across the country, rice andnoodles were donated by soldiers of the station and vegetables were donated bysome local residents, he said.

Thesoldiers of the station often donated instant noodles and rice, he said.

Besides, manykind-hearted people throughout the country have donated to the charity house.For example, Chu Thi Duc, Chairwoman of Thien Minh Duc Group in Vinh City, haddonated many goods for the charity house, contributing to improving the livesof ethnic minorities in the two poor communes, he said.

Thecharity house not only helps local people overcome difficulties in their livesbut also serves as a place the soldiers can meet the local people and explainthe policies and laws of the Party and the State, he said.

Thestation plans to organise programmes for local residents to learn, exchangeexperiences in farming, help each other earn a living, take care of children,family planning and disease prevention, he said.

“Allof these things aim to eradicate poverty and improve people’s knowledge in thetwo communes,” he said./.