The girl set up the charity group five years ago when she was in the 8th grade.

Over the last five years, Nghi and her friends have held several charity activities, such as school fairs and music performances to raise funds for needy children in the city and neighbouring provinces.

Vo Hong Nghi (right) talking with children in Long Thanh Pagoda in Long An Province.

She asked five close friends to join.

The first activity of the six-member group was to help orphans and disabled children who were living in Long Thanh Pagoda in Thu Thua Township of Long An Province.

In order to have money to buy books, toys, gifts and personal belongings for the unfortunate children, the six students made cakes, tea, coffee and fruit juices and then sold them around the central areas such as the post office and Notre Dame Cathedral.

On that day, the six members were joined by others who wanted to help the cause.

Persistently standing in the hot weather asking passers-by to buy cakes or tea, the girls and boys achieved proud results.

The group managed to raise VND15 million (US$650), which was used to buy books and gifts for 200 orphans at Long Thanh Pagoda.

However, after the visit, some members of the group of Kind Hearts had to leave because they went abroad to study. At present, the group has only Nghi.

The second charity activity of Nghi was to visit and hand over gifts to 100 children who had been affected by Agent Orange at the Thiên Phước Disabled Children’s Centre in HCM City’s Củ Chi District.

After seeing the kids, she couldn’t stop thinking about them, so she decided to return. The second time was different, Nghi was no longer afraid but touched.

Except for the first trip which was funded by the money raised, Nghi spent her own money to make following visits.

She collected old books and clothes from friends and relatives to donate to needy children in orphanages around the city. Despite being busy with school, Nghi often visited unfortunate children.

Not only donating gifts, Nghi could spend the whole day helping nuns in a church in HCM City’s Thu Duc District to fold clothes or sell lunches to raise funds.

Never give up

The most emotional project was Shelves of Hope, which would refurbish the library in the Picasso Orphan Village in Thu Duc District.

When she started the project, her father became seriously ill. Her mother had to sell the family home to pay for medical treatment. But he died a month later.

It was a big shock to her family and Nghi, because at that moment she was preparing to go abroad to study. Family and friends advised her to stop the project because they thought it was too stressful.

Finally, she decided to finish the project. Nghi and her friends went to 22 cafes and wedding venues to organise fundraising concerts.

After several days of driving motorbikes around the city, they found a spot in Phu Nhuan District. Nghi asked some friends to design banners and set up lighting and sound systems.

Nghi and her friends organised two concerts which were full, and raised VND30 million (US$1,300). The money was used to buy shelves, lamps, Kindles, and some stationary and decorate the library and classrooms for the children.

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Source: VNS