Quang Tri (VNA) - Poor residents in remote areas in westernQuang Tri province consider teacher Ly Chi Thanh as part oftheir families thanks to his volunteer work.

Thanh, 39, is a chemistry teacher at HuongHoa High School in the central province of Quang Tri.

He told the Vietnamnet e-newspaper that hewas born in a poor family, so he understands poor people’s difficulties and isdetermined to help as many poor people as possible.

Thanh’s father was disabled, so his motherbecame the breadwinner of the seven-member family.

Thanh entered university in 1999 and was able tocomplete his studies thanks to scholarships for poor good students.

After graduation, he volunteered to teach inremote areas in Quang Tri.

Sharing is happiness

Thanh joined a volunteer campaign with a groupof students from Hue city in 2015. After that, he founded the group Thiennguyen Khe Sanh (Khe Sanh Volunteer Donation) to do volunteer work inQuang Tri.

At first, they helped poor households. Thenfinancial support from sponsors gradually increased thanks to the hard work ofThanh, and they organised more donation programmes.

So far hundreds of volunteer programmes havebeen organised. Each programme is worth around 500 USD.

During the programmes, Thanh’s group often makeconcrete roads, houses for the poor, concrete schoolyards and give coatsto poor students for winter.

“Sponsors trust in the group’s work,” saidThanh.

The most impressive programme for Thanh wasone in Ho Le village, Huc commune, Huong Hoa district in 2017.

At that time, Thanh’s groupcooked bun (rice vermicelli) for poor people, and many children heardabout bun for the first time in their lives.

“A boy, about six years old, ate six bowlsof bun while many others held a box of milk in their hands, but didnot know how to drink it,” said Thanh.

“I have received much help from society, so nowit’s time I gave back,” he said.

The biggest motivation of Thanh is from hiswife. She is also a teacher of Huong Hoa High School and was born in a poorfamily, so she understands and encourages Thanh’s volunteer work.

Now Thanh hopes to build a place forunlucky people to come and live.

Dedicated teacher

Students of Huong Hoa High School, especiallythe poor, think of Thanh as a dedicated teacher who gives them material andspiritual support.

Thanh has given guidance for many student'sscientific research projects. Last November, Thanh was one of two teachersfrom Quang Tri province to receive an award from Minister of Education andTraining Phung Xuan Nha for his outstanding contribution.

Nguyen Thanh Nga, principal of Huong Hoa HighSchool, told Vietnamnet that she was very happy when she saw a teacher ofthe school do meaningful work for the community.

Nga expressed her hope that the school and theprovince would have more teachers like Thanh so poor students would besupported to continue their schooling and achieve their dreams./.