30 years of the Golden Heart Fund, a journey of compassion

For 30 years, the Golden Heart Fund (the Fund) has traveled all over the country, from high mountainous areas to places affected by natural disasters and storms, promptly sharing with difficult lives. Not only providing emergency relief, the Fund also contributes to building bridges, roads, schools, and boarding houses, bringing faith and hope to many communities.

30 years and a journey of ten thousand miles

30 years - a long enough time for times to fluctuate, society to change and long enough to dye white the young green hairs of generations of reporters, journalists, and trade union officials who once had a time of rushing, "going up and down to the sea" with the Golden Heart Fund.

Journalist Hoang Van Minh will always remember 1999, the historic flood that killed more than 300 people in Hue, isolating many families in the sea of water. 900 people have been hungry and cold for 4-5 days and vehicles have not been able to access them.

Amidst the white rain, journalists from the Representative Office of Lao Dong Newspaper in the Central region decided to cross forests and mountains, walking through Hai Van Pass with the determination to carry relief goods from the Golden Heart Fund from Da Nang to Hue at all costs.

They - only had one evening preparing for the next morning, each carrying dozens of kilograms of goods including instant noodles, bread and essential medicines. They walked in the white rain over 24km through Hai Van Nam Pass to go to the flood-isolated area.

After 9 hours of overcoming slippery cat ear mountain cliffs soaked in rainwater, the relief team had to stop to set up makeshift tents to sleep in the bone-chilling cold of the mountain wind. It took them many more hours upstream to reach the 2 most severely damaged villages in Loc Hai and Phu Loc (old administrative address).

Loc Hai at that time was immersed in hunger and cold, illness seemed to wake up, no one could believe that the Golden Heart Fund could come so soon, in such floods.

Journalist Hoang Van Minh recounted: "For many years, "handed over" has been likened to a slogan, a "slogan" for the continuous action of the Golden Heart Fund. We have overcome everything, with youth and enthusiasm, to "hand over" to compatriots not only relief gifts, but also the trust of readers. Because of that trust, we never dare to delay, dare to hesitate, for fear of disappointing millions of readers who have believed in the Golden Heart Fund".

When the Golden Heart Fund grows stronger, creating prestige and influence throughout the region. Every storm and flood season, readers come to queue in front of the Lao Dong Newspaper office as a habit. They come to give gifts, give goods to people facing difficulties and give faith to the Golden Heart Fund.

To go through a long 30-year journey, experiencing countless upheavals, the generation of people operating and managing the Golden Heart Fund has shown dedication, transparency, bravery and a unified value system of "receive one dong, give one dong".

The greatest thing the Golden Heart Fund has done in 30 years is not only helping countless suffering lives to stand up, building houses for people in storm-affected areas, building roads and bridges for many rural areas, contributing scholarships to many poor children... The most meaningful value the Fund has achieved is the connection, side by side, joining hands with countless philanthropists and millions of "Golden Hearts" of readers from all over the country.

The Golden Heart Fund has contributed to fostering compatriotism, strongly spreading the spirit of mutual affection, and transmitting the strength of "the healthy leaf protects the torn leaf" in the most difficult times, so that no one feels left behind.

Gratitude

After 30 years of operation, the Fund has mobilized 1,320 billion VND, spent 1,100 billion VND, of which more than 200 billion VND is for building historical works, expressing gratitude to the previous generation, and educating revolutionary traditions for the younger generation.

Recalling the years of mobilizing resources for the Fund to invest in building the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Area, journalist Phan Thanh Hai and journalist Bao Chan affirmed that it is forever an unforgettable memory.

On March 13, 2015, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor organized the groundbreaking ceremony, laying the first stone to build the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Area in the North of Cam Ranh Peninsula, Khanh Hoa province with a total investment of nearly 100 billion VND from the Golden Heart Fund.

Towards Hoang Sa - Truong Sa, where the story of the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland always touches the hearts and strongest emotions of every Vietnamese citizen.

Millions of Vietnamese people as well as organizations, companies, and factories... enthusiastically participated in this particularly meaningful activity. In just 10 months, the total amount of donations has reached nearly 100 billion VND.

Recalling the days of construction and inauguration of the complex of works in the Gac Ma Soldiers' Memorial Area, journalist Bao Chan is still moved, remembering the sacred night before the inauguration day. Journalist Phan Thanh Hai has gone through very long journeys to meet the families of Gac Ma martyrs, persuading them to send martyrs' keepsakes into the display space in the Memorial Area... He still remembers the tears and smiles of the martyr's mother when meeting her children's keepsakes again on the anniversary of the memorial area's inauguration.

To this day, over time, the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Area has become an emotional gratitude symbol.

More and more relatives of martyrs, officials, employees, students, and compatriots and soldiers in the country as well as from abroad return to the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Area to visit, offer incense, admire and learn about the history of protecting Vietnam's sea and island sovereignty.

The Golden Heart Fund on its journey has always aimed at gratitude and appreciation for history.

Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Area or the bell tower at Dong Loc intersection will be like relics that are not silent, eternal like history, always reminding and telling stories for posterity.

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