‘Uncle Duc’ has spent the past two years offering free moving services to university students across Ho Chi Minh City.

City students in need of help with moving to and from university residences have found their lives made considerably easier by Le Van Duc, a 50-year-old delivery driver who has offered free moving services to local students for the past two years.

Duc, or ‘Uncle Duc’ as students affectionately call him, uses a three-wheeled motorcycle-truck hybrid to transport them and their belongings to new residences whenever they are in need. 

In lieu of payment, Duc accepts a simple ‘thank you’ from his customers.

Duc primarily works in the neighborhoods around universities in District 2, District 9, and Thu Duc District in Ho Chi Minh City where he lends a helping hand to low-income students, prioritizing them over just about anything else going on in his life. “If they’re students, I’m willing to help them for free, even if they com from rich families,” said Duc. 

“I know it’s hard for students to earn money, so if I help them for free it allows them to save some cash for other things.”

Duc particularly tries to help students from poorer provinces outside of Ho Chi Minh City, aware that their situation is often more difficult than their peers. 

Occasionally, he turns down paid jobs to help these students. “I can earn money with my delivery service at any time, but students often only have free time on weekends, so I usually try to prioritize them on Saturdays and Sundays,” he explained.  

Pham Thi Minh Vu, a senior student from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, first met Duc after contacting him to ask about the free moving service he had advertised on the side of his tricycle. “I saw him driving while I was looking for a vehicle to transport my furniture that day, so I asked for his support. He accepted after I told him that I’m a student,” Vu shared.

Though Duc carried Vu and her belongings all the way from District 9 to Thu Duc District, he refused to accept payment.  “If I accept their money, they would have to eat instant noodles instead of rice,” he said with a laugh.

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