Rapper Den Vau takes care students in their meal at a highland school (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) - The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee has presented the National Volunteer Award 2023 to 10 individuals and 10 collectives, honouring those who have made wholehearted devotion to the community.

Setting up group to rescue thousands of people

Pham Quoc Viet, founder of First Aid Support Angel (FAS Angel), is among 10 individuals conferred with the National Volunteer Award.

Since the group’s establishment in September 2019, Viet aims to build an increasingly strong and professional group so as to provide timely rescue and relief support to those that need it. In 2023, the group was expanded to Nghe An, Hoa Binh and Son La, and supported and provided first aid for nearly 3,000 people. In addition, he set up the Fire Angle Group with 20 volunteers, who were collectively trained in firefighting and rescue.

Particularly, in the recent fire at a mini apartment building in Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi, Viet and his group’s members saved 12 victims.

Pham Quoc Viet stands ready to help victims (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Sharing his intention, Viet said he wishes to expand the group’s support network to many cities and provinces nationwide so as to provide timely help for accident victims and avoid unfortunate casualties.

With his efforts for the community, Viet was voted a role model of good people and good deeds in 2020, won Prize B of the fourth Community Initiative in 2022.

Youth Union Deputy Secretary “contributes bricks to build the school"

Phan Anh Tuan, Secretary of the Youth Union of Insurance Faculty, Head of the Youth Affairs Board and Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of the National Economics University (NEU), has devoted his time to students in difficult circumstances, helping them firmly go to school for a brighter future.

He has taken the lead in many activities of the NEU’s Youth Union and Student Association movements, such as the youth volunteer summer campaign, blood donation. Tuan has launched other meaningful activities, including a call for the support of the NEU’s lecturers and students to help the university's students with difficulties. This gives them more motivation to overcome difficulties and continue to pursue their study.

He is also head of the organising board of the "Contributing bricks to build schools” project. From 2020, the project has built 26 classrooms, 26 work rooms, 13 kitchens and 13 school toilets at a total cost of 5.4 billion VND.

Phan Anh Tuan wishes to further develop the "Contributing bricks to build schools" project to remove makeshift classrooms for students in disadvantaged areas. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Besides, he has joined the community’s environmental protection efforts such as collecting used batteries, planting trees and cleaning streets.

Rapper Den Vau and desire for child care

Among the 10 winners of this year’s National Volunteer Award, rapper Den Vau (Nguyen Duc Cuong) is very familiar to the public not only for music, but also because of his charitable heart, with love for poor students in highland areas.

Rapper Den Vau cooking for children in a difficult area (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Den sponsored 690 million VND (28,300 USD) to build two schools (in Son La and Dien Bien provinces). He donated more than 160 million VND to the “Nuoi em" project, which is a volunteer one to help children in schools in remote areas to have a proper lunch so they stay in class for afternoon lessons. He funded 30 students for four years.

In addition to financial assistance, the rapper has spread the voluntary spirit to the community through his musical work. His music video (MV) entitled "Nau an cho em” (Cooking for you) tells a sincere story of about the journey of children in a remote area going to school. Most of the scenes in the MV feature the children’s activities at school and in their daily lives, as well as their joy upon receiving gifts from Den and his team, such as teddy bears, hair ties, and footballs.

The song’s lyric is simple, easy-to-listen like a gently whisper of a daily story, but it has touched the hearts of the listener.

Notably, during the making of the MV, Den also cooked meals and played with the children.

After only five days of release, ‘Nau An Cho Em’ reached No. 1 position of YouTube channel with more than 5 million views, helping more than 30,000 children receiving financial support.

Through the song, he called for more than 1 billion VND in funding to build two schools in Lai Chau and Cao Bang provinces. He has called for support of the free Tet coach to bring 2,000 students with difficult circumstances to home for Tet celebrations by the Ho Chi Minh City Student Support Centre.

Den said he hopes to continue participating in community support activities to spread good values in life to people.

Den has received many awards such as the We Choice Awards 2018, 2019; Contribution Award, and Lan song xanh “Green Wave” 2021./.