On a bright morning in early 2026, the yard of Mr. Ngo Van Thu, 66, in Van Diem village, Phu Xuyen commune, Hanoi, was still filled with scrap materials. He and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Gan, 65, work as scrap collectors. In the evenings, Mr. Thu takes shifts as a construction site guard. Despite their meager income and lack of a pension, the couple recently surprised the entire village by announcing their decision to donate 50 square meters of land to their neighbor, Ms. Hoang Thi Hoa, 51, who lives across from them.

"My wife and I save every penny, but we are fortunate to have a small plot of land to call our own, so we want to share with those who are struggling more," Mr. Thu stated.

Mr. Ngo Van Thu and his wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Gan, in Van Diem village, Phu Xuyen, Hanoi, 2/2026. Photo: Nga Thanh

The idea to donate the land began one year ago, after the couple witnessed Ms. Hoa single-handedly raising her child for 13 years following the tragic loss of her husband. In 2011, Ms. Hoa married, but one year later, her husband died in a traffic accident on Lunar New Year's Eve afternoon. Since then, the widow and her son have moved five times, relying on the generosity of relatives and her birth family. However, with all her loved ones also struggling financially, Ms. Hoa and her son could not rely on them long-term.

In 2019, a kind person allowed her to temporarily stay in a small house amidst a vegetable garden. Her income from a market vegetable stall, a few million dong each month, was barely enough for her and her son. However, tragedy struck again in 2020 when she was diagnosed with blood cancer. Her earnings were then split: half for her son's education and half for medication to sustain her life. Many nights, she endured agonizing pain, gritting her teeth because she had no money for hospital visits.

"My only worry is that if I close my eyes, there will be no place for an altar, and my son will be left utterly alone," Ms. Hoa once confided to Mrs. Gan.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hoa, 51, selling vegetables at the market in Van Diem village, Phu Xuyen, early 1/2026. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Moved by their neighbor's plight, Mr. Thu and his wife called their daughter for a family meeting. They unanimously agreed on a plan: to carve out 50 square meters from their own land and donate it to Ms. Hoa and her son.

"Our parents are doing a good deed, we fully agree," their daughter affirmed. To prevent future legal complications, the couple proactively invited both Ms. Hoa's paternal and maternal families to discuss the matter clearly.

In early 11/2025, during a reality television program assisting disadvantaged individuals in Phu Xuyen commune, Mr. Thu publicly announced his donation of 50 square meters of garden land, along with a television valued at 5 million dong, to Ms. Hoa and her son, in front of the villagers.

Immediately following the announcement, Mr. Thu and his wife met with Ms. Hoa's late husband's family and her birth parents. "We wanted to verify everything thoroughly with both sides of the family, to avoid future legal disputes and ensure she and her son have a stable place to rely on," Mrs. Gan explained.

Video recording Mr. Ngo Van Thu announcing the donation of 50 square meters of land to his neighbor Hoang Thi Hoa and her son during a television program, 11/2025. Source: @Nguoicuacongchung

However, this benevolent act sometimes met with sarcastic remarks like "poor but foolishly proud." One night, their daughter cried, feeling sorry for her parents being scorned. But Mrs. Gan just smiled, comforting her daughter: "When parents pass away, they cannot take any possessions with them; only human kindness remains forever."

Early this year, Mr. Thu personally demolished his old kitchen and buffalo shed to make space for his neighbor. He plans to break ground on Ms. Hoa's house in 3/ and will reuse doors and other materials from his scrap collection to help reduce her costs.

Mr. Nguyen Phuc Van, the village head of Van Diem, stated that Mr. Thu's actions possess deep humanitarian significance. However, due to the land's agricultural origin, the subdivision and permitting process face legal hurdles. Local authorities are actively assisting the family to resolve these issues so that Ms. Hoa can soon have a stable home.

Putting aside the procedural worries, Mr. Thu still cycles daily to collect scrap, and Mrs. Gan meticulously sorts aluminum cans. For Ms. Hoa, those 50 square meters of land are a miracle. "After 13 years of living with others everywhere, my son's and my dream of having a home is finally about to come true."

Quynh Nga