Several people who have voluntarily taken loving care of elderly people or raised orphans will be honored for their silent yet significant deeds.

They all are humble about their deeds, some even refuse to be nominated for the award titled “The silent yet noble examples”, to be granted in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time.

So far, some hundred individuals and groups in Ho Chi Minh City have been nominated by the local governments. The result is expected to be announced in early 2014.

Below are some shining examples:

In the past six years, Dinh Ha Hung and his wife Mai Cam Nguyet at Bau Cat apartment building in Tan Binh district have tended to their two neighbors, Tran Thi Ha, 83, and Nguyen Thi Hieu, 82, just like their own mothers.

“Since we moved in 1995, seeing that Mrs. 38 and Mrs. 39 (nicknamed by Hung’s family after their apartment numbers) were alone and uncared for, my wife and I often visited them and brought them some food. Some six years ago, as the ladies grew old fast and Hieu couldn’t move anymore, my wife began to prepare their meals, bathe them and clean their houses on a daily basis,” Hung said.

Hung’s wife takes meticulous care in tending to the elderly women, making sure that the water isn’t too hot for them and no bones are left in their fish dishes.

Since then, Hung’s family has never gone out or visited their hometown together, as they have to take turns taking care of the old ladies.

Meanwhile, Pham Thi Kieu Nga also of Tan Binh district felt uncomfortable when she learned that the local government had nominated her for the award, saying that her deeds were really nothing.

15 years ago, Nga provided shelter and kin-like care to Thanh, an 88-year-old homeless woman, particularly during her severe illness bouts. After the elderly woman passed away some months ago, Nga set up an altar to her in the middle of her home as if Thanh were her own kin.

Nga used to work as a freelance babysitter. However, a few years later, she quit her job as she adopted several of the kids, who were deserted by their poor, imprisoned parents.

The kind-hearted woman currently lives with four kids, aged from 7 to 17, whom she raised since they were only some days or months old. Nga also pays particular attention to their education or vocational training, to make sure that they would have a brighter future than their parents.

A bike fixer’s gifts of love

Le Van Thai, a poor bike repairman on Hong Lac street in Tan Binh district, has gifted some 20 bikes to local needy students so far. What’s special is that he revamped the bikes from broken old ones.

“I buy used bike frames from scrap dealers for some VND150,000 (US$7), and rebuild them with new spare parts. I didn’t have proper schooling, so I really want to do something for the poor students now,” Thai shared.

He even meticulously paints the bikes and decorates them with colored decals. Some offered nearly one million dong ($40) for each of the bikes, but he adamantly turned down the offers.

“We’re filled with admiration to see Thai painstakingly gather parts one by one to build bikes for disadvantaged students while he and his pregnant wife have to work hard to support their three kids and pay room rent and other fees. We have gifted Thai’s bikes to poor students in as far as the southernmost Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces,” said Nguyen Thi Cuc, head of the Binh Phu Dong Poor Patients Assistance Association.

“I have lots of dreams and love doing charity work. If only I were rich, so I could help more people,” Thai shared. The man regularly joins the charity association staff during visits and gift handing to poor patients and students and gives blood transfusion. He has also received several certificates from the local government in recognition of his good deeds.