With deep love for abandoned and orphaned children, Huynh Tan Hung, a war veteran living in Phu Ninh District under Quang Nam Province, located in central Vietnam, is fostering these star-crossed children.

His house has become a safe shelter for the poor kids.

The man recounted that he just wanted to land a stable job to provide for his ‘children’ and brighten their fate instead of fishing for any praise for his act of kindness.

His road to kindness has lasted for over 15 years.

A warm-hearted foster father

Located near a rice paddy, his tile-roofed house serves as a playground, study space, and sleeping quarters for these kids. 

Hung and some volunteer babysitters are busy caring for these children from morning until night.

“Vet Huynh Tan Hung is a weird man,” said Nguyen Dinh Vung, head of Tan Thinh Quarter in Phu Thinh Town under Phu Ninh District.

Over 15 years ago, a single mother in the area got Hung to take care of her ailing child so that she could leave for work.

Due to his affection for kids, many disadvantaged households sent their children to his house.

In the initial stage, they brought their kids to Hung’s home in the morning and picked them up in the evening. 

These children were attached to him, and he did not charge poor parents for looking after their children.

Subsequently, he fostered more abandoned kids.

Hung said that he is a war veteran who returned to Vietnam from Cambodia.

He lives as a compassionate individual, often extending a helping hand to those in need as a way of giving back for his life, especially considering the loss of his comrades during wartime.

Before establishing a nursing center for orphans, he had spent his money building houses for many underprivileged people. 

He has never scolded these children; instead, he treats them with tolerance and benevolence.

Consequently, they affectionately refer to him as 'daddy.'

The orphan-raising center features several lines of rooms, including dining rooms, playgrounds, bedrooms, reading rooms, and classrooms, but it includes just a small chamber to house him.

He said that he is over 60 years old and requires nothing for himself, but his desire is to provide the best for the children under his care.

In his room, there is a sturdy mattress and a fan, while the children's rooms are furnished with softer mattresses and air conditioners.

His kindness has garnered support from numerous volunteers who visit his center to perform household tasks, cook, clean, and take care of the children.

Dinh Thi Hong Duc, a babysitter at his center, shared that she had heard a lot about Hung's home. However, it was not until 2014, when her child was frequently ill, that she decided to bring her kid to his house.

Thanks to his nursing skills, Hung helped Duc’s child become well again.

She is touched by the kind-hearted man, who dedicates his life as a senior citizen to looking after orphans and poor children.

As such, she asked him to allow her to share his work.

Besides Duc, some others came to his house to help Hung and his wife care for these children.

Hung’s biological children who reside in neighboring Da Nang City and other localities often buy rice, clothes, and books for the kids.

The foster children attend school daily, including university students and mature young individuals. Periodically, they return to his house to assist in caring for the other kids.

The ‘father’ deserves praise 

On November 11, the chairman of the Quang Nam Province People’s Committee sent an introductory letter to the Central Emulation and Commendation Council, suggesting the recognition of Hung as a model citizen for the 2021-25 period.

According to the introductory letter, since the establishment of the center, around 200 children who were cared for at the facility have been successfully reunited with their families. Additionally, more than 200 others have grown up under the care of the center.

These children have received proper education and have been given the opportunity to attend school, with four of them having landed a job after their graduation.

Hung has helped multiple disadvantaged households in the district over the past many years.

The magnanimous man and his wife while not wealthy, sustain themselves on their pension and income from their rice fields.

Nurtured within the warmth of such a caring home, these orphans can sense the love and compassion provided by Hung, even though he is not their biological father.

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