Pham Van Hiep, his wife Nguyen Thi Them and their three children at their new house
Pham Van Hiep, 36, and his wife Nguyen Thi Them, 31, both have cognitive impairments and suffer from poor health. Born into underprivileged families, they had to drop out of school at a young age and rely on odd jobs to make a living.
The couple now has three young children.
In 2016, they borrowed money to build a small house made mostly of corrugated iron on land given by Hiep’s parents. The house lacked both a kitchen and a toilet.
They could only afford one bed, which was used by the wife and children, while Hiep slept on a hammock or the floor. Hiep takes on temporary jobs to provide for his family, while his wife stays at home to care for the children, aged six, five, and seven months.
Due to unstable income, the family constantly faced financial hardship, often relying on neighbours for food and support. Their deteriorating home posed safety concerns, but they had no means to renovate or rebuild it.
Hiep and Them at their old house.
After Dantri reported on their situation, readers contributed over VND 190 million to the newspaper’s charity fund to support the family.
According to Phan Van Tri, Vice Chairman of the Cam My Commune People's Committee, with the donation from Dantri readers and an additional VND 70 million from the local government, the family decided to build a new house. Local organisations and volunteers contributed labour to begin construction in late March.
“As of now, the house has been completed with a total area of 80 square metres, featuring two bedrooms, a kitchen, a toilet, and basic household items,” Tri said.
The total cost of construction was over VND 160 million. The remaining funds will be used to open a savings account, purchase essential items, and pay for treatment for the couple’s second child, who suffers from delayed speech development.
Speaking at the ceremony, Tran Duy Tuyen, Head of Dantri’s Central Highlands regional office, said that Dantri, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, prioritises humanitarian efforts alongside its core journalism mission.
Tran Duy Tuyen, Head of Dantri’s Central Highlands regional office, speaks at the event.
“For over 20 years, Dantri has earned the trust of millions of readers in Vietnam and abroad, connecting support for over 7,200 disadvantaged individuals. We have also built schools, bridges, donated health insurance cards, and organised health consultations for people in remote areas,” he noted.
In Ha Tinh alone, Dantri connects donors to dozens of underprivileged cases annually, raising between VND 2 billion and over VND 3.5 billion. Since early 2024, the newspaper has completed a school project in Huong Khe District and built two charity houses.
The house for Hiep’s family is the third housing project in Ha Tinh sponsored by Dantri readers this year.
“We sincerely thank Dantri readers for their ongoing support for those in need across the country. Special thanks also go to the authorities of Cam Xuyen District, Cam My Commune, My Dong Village, and all the local people who helped monitor and contribute to this project,” Tuyen said.
In response to the government's campaign to eliminate temporary and dilapidated housing, Dantri originally set a goal of building 100 homes for poor and near-poor families nationwide between 2024 and 2025.
The newspaper has already achieved this goal ahead of schedule, thanks to overwhelming support from readers, donors, businesses, and local authorities.
Dantri has set a new target of building 100 charity houses this year, helping 100 more disadvantaged families move into safe, permanent homes.
From April 10, 2024, 128 houses have been initiated, with 81 already completed.
To meet the overall target of constructing 200 houses by the end of 2025, Dantri hopes for continued support from readers, philanthropists, and organisations to help families in need realise their dream of stable housing.
