Inside their quiet home in Van Loc hamlet, Hoa My commune, only three children wearing mourning headbands sat beside the ancestral altar. On 20/11, rumors of a dam breach spread, prompting Phan Van Thoi, 51, to take his wife and youngest son to Huong mountain for safety. As they crossed Ben Dinh, unaware the bridge had collapsed, he drove straight into the swift currents. His wife and he died, but their son miraculously escaped by clinging to a tree branch. His two older sons, students in TP HCM, suddenly lost their parents and faced the prospect of deferring their studies to work and support their younger sibling.

"I was choked up when I heard the news. Having grown up in a flood-prone area of central Vietnam, I deeply understand this sudden loss," shared Nhu Anh, 37, a business owner in TP HCM.

Residents receive relief supplies in Hoai Cu hamlet, Tay Hoa commune, Dak Lak province. *Tran Hoa*

He called a friend to share the situation. Both decided to sponsor Phan Van Thoi’s two sons, who are students in TP HCM, until they graduate, providing each student with 2 million dong per month and committing to job placement assistance afterward. The youngest sibling, a 10th-grade student in their hometown, is also being cared for by local authorities and neighbors.

The story of the three siblings was just the beginning. Witnessing the historic floods that devastated the South Central Coast and Central Highlands provinces in late November, Nhu Anh and three friends decided to extend their support. The group focused on assisting university and college students studying in TP HCM whose families suffered severe damage in the flood-prone areas of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa.

Each student receives 1,5 million dong per month for three to four months to cover immediate rent and living expenses. Initially, the group estimated they could only help about 20-25 students. However, after the story was shared on social media on 24/11, the reach of their compassion connected them with many more philanthropists. To date, the list of supported students has grown to over 80.

Tran Nguyen Van, 43, a contributor, was deeply moved upon reading about Le Duy, a third-year male student whose family’s fields, gardens, and entire pig herd—their most significant asset—were swept away by the floods. Duy had considered dropping out of school to return home and find work. "That image reminded me of my own family's situation in my hometown 20 years ago. All our life savings were washed away in a single day," Van recalled.

On the night of 25/11, Van verified the information and immediately transferred 10 million dong to help Duy pay his tuition, also pledging further support for his family to rebuild their home.

Anh Khoa’s house in Tay Hoa district, Dak Lak, on the afternoon of 26/11. *Anh Khoa*

Like Duy, Bao Tran, 20, from Tay Hoa district, Dak Lak, once thought her university dreams were over. Floodwaters, rising nearly 2 meters, swept away all their household possessions. Tran’s father, who has a leg disability and usually earns a living selling lottery tickets in TP HCM during idle farming periods, now helplessly watched his life’s savings vanish.

Just as Tran was about to write a letter requesting a leave of absence from her studies, she received a message from Nhu Anh’s group. The 1,5 million dong monthly support helped relieve her burden. "When I told my parents the good news, they almost cried. I am incredibly grateful that someone reached out to pull me up during my most desperate moment," Tran said.

From the same hometown as Tran, Anh Khoa’s family, 20, also lost everything when their six cows—their savings intended for his tuition—were swept away by the floods. Seeing the bare wooden roof of his house in the photo, Khoa—a student who also works as a ride-hailing driver—was at a loss for how to cope. The timely support from the volunteer group not only helped Khoa continue his studies but also rekindled his faith in the kindness of society.

"When I received help, I never expected there to be such kind strangers in the world," Khoa said.

Ngoc Ngan