(VOVworld) - Knowing that people in the central region were devastated by storms and floods, Tran Thanh Long has sent 10 tons of rice to support them. He has regularly done this for more than 10 years not to win praise but just to uphold the tradition of haves helping the have-nots. Today, VOV profiles this humanitarian.

Whenever Mr. Long hears news of storms and floods ravaging the central region, his heart throbs with compassion. Born and raised in the central region, Mr. Long clearly understands the hardships of the people here, who suffer from natural disasters annually. No matter how hard they try, they never get rich because they have to put up so often with floods and storms. Mr. Long feels like a cat on hot bricks when he sees people forced to deal with lost crops, submerged houses, and food shortages. "I’m not a rich man. But I’m luckier than the many people who have lost their homes and have nothing to eat or wear. I feel sympathy for them. I sent 10 tons of rice to people in the flood-hit areas. And I’m going to donate something to people in the northwestern region also," Long shares his views.

Doan Van Thai, Secretary General of the Vietnam Red Cross Society, praises Mr. Long’s generosity. "Long has contributed to many charitable activities to support people in flood-prone areas or affected by other natural disasters. He sometimes delivers donations in person or else gives them to social organizations who can help deliver them to the people most in need." 

Long had a difficult life when he was young, so he understands the misery of hunger and poverty. When he was demobilized from the military, he tried different jobs to earn a living - carpentry, welding, and digging ponds and wells. Now that he is better off, he doesn’t forget his past and he easily sympathizes with less fortunate people.

Tran Huu Nhung of Dac Lac province has 5 children and a sick wife. His family depends on a small rice field, which is insufficient to pay for the children’s school fees. Mr. Long helped Nhung find a job in Hanoi with a stable income. Nhung feels grateful for Long’s assistance."Long helped me find a job and a place to stay in Hanoi. He has helped a lot of poor people and is very involved in social activities. He’s an open and sociable person. He’s a model for me," Nhung says.

Long says charitable activities derive from one’s heart, not from one’s pocket.