Nguyen Thi Quy has managed to donate to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper-initiated fund-raising programs to defend national sovereignty over Vietnam’s seas and islands despite her meager monthly income of VND2 million (US$95) from purchasing iron scrap and waste material.

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Three years ago, Quy donated VND500,000 ($23.6) to the “Gop da xay Truong Sa” (Contributing stones to build Truong Sa) program that Tuoi Tre launched as soon as Chinese vessels cut off the cables of Vietnam’s Binh Minh ship, which was conducting a seismic survey to look for oil on Vietnam’s continental shelf in the East Vietnam Sea.

Recently, the woman donated the same amount of money to Tuoi Tre’s latest program “Chung suc bao ve chu quyen bien Dong” (Join hands to protect Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea) that was kickstarted immediately after China’s illegal deployment of oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 to Vietnamese waters in the sea.

The rig has been illicitly placed in the waters since May 1 in spite of strong opposition from Vietnam.

“The seas and islands are ours so we have to protect them. I will donate money in my ability,” she said.

“Islands are shield walls for the mainland. I feel secure that islands serve as houses at sea for Vietnamese fishing boats,” she added.

As of May 24, the program received a total donation of VND27.9 billion (roughly $1.32 million).

Nguyen Thi Quy glues a poster of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper-initiated “Join hands to protect Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea” fund-raising program onto a wall at An Phu Dong ferry landing in Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Quy is seen pushing her bicycle filled with iron scrap and waste material in Ho Chi Minh City’s Phu Nhuan District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The woman smiles after a hard day at work. Photo: Tuoi Tre

She carries a large bag of iron scrap and waste material and puts it onto her bicycle in an alley on Ly Chinh Thang Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 3. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Quy stops for a while to drink water on a sunny day in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Quy takes care of her aging mom at home. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Quy donates VND500,000 to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper-initiated “Join hands to protect Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea” fund-raising program. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Thi Quy is moved to tears on a visit to the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in May 2012. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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