Representatives from Dantri/Dtinews Newspaper and Soc Trang Province hand over new houses to two local families of Lam Thi Hien and Tran Thi Dep on March 29.
Lam Thi Hien, 46, and her husband Nguyen Van Cuong, 56, have spent the past 27 years caring for their daughter with cerebral palsy. Without stable jobs, they have struggled financially, using all their savings for her daughter's medical treatment. Their leaf-roofed house had deteriorated for years, but they could not repair it.
Hien and her husband at their old house.
Tran Thi Dep, 45, has been raising two children alone since her divorce in 2021. Her hardship worsened seven months ago when her son, Huynh Trong Luan, was diagnosed with Japanese encephalitis. The medical expenses drained her already meagre finances, forcing her older daughter to drop out of school in seventh grade due to their financial difficulties.
The old house of Tran Thi Dep.
Dantri completes two more houses for disadvantaged in Soc Trang
Representatives from Dantri Newspaper co-operated with authorities in Soc Trang Province to hold a ceremony to officially hand over new houses to two local families of Lam Thi Hien and Tran Thi Dep.
Lam Thi Hien, 46, and her husband Nguyen Van Cuong, 56, have spent the past 27 years caring for their daughter with cerebral palsy. Without stable jobs, they have struggled financially, using all their savings for her daughter's medical treatment. Their leaf-roofed house had deteriorated for years, but they could not repair it.
Tran Thi Dep, 45, has been raising two children alone since her divorce in 2021. Her hardship worsened seven months ago when her son, Huynh Trong Luan, was diagnosed with Japanese encephalitis. The medical expenses drained her already meagre finances, forcing her older daughter to drop out of school in seventh grade due to their financial difficulties.
After Dantri published their stories, many readers made donations. Hien received VND115,534,771, while Dep received VND104,778,464. With additional support from local authorities, both families decided to use part of the donations to build new homes.
At the ceremony, Ma Chi Thanh, Deputy Director of the Soc Trang Department of Home Affairs, emphasised the profound impact of Dantri’s housing initiative, which has helped numerous impoverished families nationwide.
"We deeply appreciate the generosity of Dantri readers who have supported our community," he said. "We hope the newspaper will continue to serve as a bridge, connecting charitable hearts within and outside Vietnam to help more disadvantaged families."
At the event, Huynh Nhat Hai, a representative of Dantri, expressed his happiness at witnessing the two homes being completed in just over a month.
"These new houses replace the old, fragile leaf-roofed shelters that leaked during the rain. Now that they have sturdy homes, we hope these families can focus on rebuilding their lives and striving for a better future," he said.
Hien and Dep were overwhelmed with joy throughout the ceremony and continuously expressed gratitude to Dantri readers and local authorities.
"I'm beyond happy. I don’t know how to express my gratitude," Hien said tearfully. "Sometimes, I thought I was dreaming when I saw how quickly my house was built. Now, I no longer have to fear the rain or floods."
Hien's new house is approximately 50 square metres and has two bedrooms.
Hien shared that construction took 25 days, and her family moved in a week ago. She considers this new house a priceless treasure compared to their old leaf-roofed, earthen-floored home.
For Tran Thi Dep, the donations were nothing short of a miracle.
Dep and her son at their new house.
"The financial aid not only saved my son’s life but also allowed me to use VND50 million to build this home," she said emotionally. "Having a house and seeing my son recover feels like a miracle. I can’t thank Dantri enough for helping us through this crisis."
Dantri has launched a campaign to build 100 houses for impoverished, unemployed households across the country during 2024-2025 to support the government's poverty alleviation efforts.
Construction on 101 houses has been underway, with 75 already completed and handed over.
This year, Dantri aims to construct 100 more homes, continuing its mission to provide safe and stable housing for those in need.
The newspaper invites readers, philanthropists, organisations, and individuals to make the dream of a home a reality for more disadvantaged families.
