The journey of contribution of 'extended arms'

Journalist Nguyen Phan Dau working at the My Thuan 2 bridge construction site - the image of a journalist who always sticks closely to reality, leaving a strong mark on the country's key projects

"Because I love Long An Newspaper, I became a professional journalist"

Once a director of a state-owned enterprise in the 1990s, Mr. Nguyen Phan Dau came to journalism by chance but with great attachment. Initially, he only collaborated with Long An Newspaper (now Long An Radio and Television Newspaper ) and Lao Dong Newspaper through many articles. However, his passion urged him to pursue a professional journalism career, starting at Long An Newspaper as Head of Reporter Department. Not long after, he became a resident reporter and was appointed as Head of Lao Dong Newspaper Representative Office in the Mekong Delta region.

With more than two decades of working in the profession , he left his mark through many reports and notes imbued with humanity and won the National Press Award in 2009 along with many ministerial and industry awards. Although he retired in 2022, when he returned to his hometown, he continued to collaborate with Long An Newspaper and Radio and Television Station and held the role of Editor-in-Chief of Long An Literature and Arts Magazine.

Sharing about his relationship with journalism, journalist Nguyen Phan Dau confided: “Writing is my way of surviving. As long as I can breathe with my job, as long as I can travel, I must write. Each article is a way for me to live another life - the lives of the people I meet, the lands I pass through. That is also my way of showing gratitude to journalism. I just hope that the words I leave behind will be something useful for future generations of journalists.”

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025), journalist Nguyen Phan Dau made a special trip across Vietnam lasting nearly a month. Driving alone, he traveled through more than 150 historical sites and scenic spots, from the southernmost part of the country to the northernmost lands. On the way there, he followed National Highway 1 along the coast to feel the rhythm of contemporary life intertwined with historical vestiges. On the way back, he followed the Ho Chi Minh trail through the majestic Truong Son mountain range, as a way to connect the flow of national memories through each land he set foot on.

From that trip, he distilled a series of memoirs called Sunlight Across Vietnam, published in the print newspaper Bao and Long An Radio and Television. The work not only recreates the beauty of the country through the lens of an experienced writer but also deeply demonstrates his loyal attachment to journalism.

“For me, this is a “life work” because it is about the life journey that I have always dreamed of. This is also the longest series of articles in my journalistic career. And most importantly, it is a series of articles published in the newspaper where I took my first steps into the profession, the place that gave me wings to fly far” - journalist Nguyen Phan Dau shared.

Love the job, dedicate yourself

Reporter Nguyen Kim Tien works during the Lunar New Year 2025, recording the spring life at the Duc Hue border

Having worked in Duc Hue border district for nearly 16 years, Ms. Nguyen Kim Tien has worked at the district's Culture, Information and Broadcasting Center, always dedicated to her work. Working as a journalist at the grassroots level is already stressful, and she often has to work on unexpected assignments, so many times she has to be absent from family meals, especially on holidays and Tet. Sometimes, living under the same roof, she only has a meal with her relatives once a week, or even once every two weeks. However, the understanding and support from her family has become a solid "support", giving her the motivation to stick with and live her life as a journalist.

At the district level, with limited working conditions, many times she had to take on the entire news and article production process by herself, from filming, taking photos to writing and editing. “There were events that happened continuously, I didn’t have time to set up the tripod, I had to hold the camera by hand for a long time. Women are weak, so the camera is not steady, the image is easily shaky, at that time, I just took a deep breath, encouraged myself to complete the job. No matter the hot sun or heavy rain, I still followed the event from morning to afternoon. When I got home, I was exhausted, but when I saw people receiving the information, all the hardships disappeared,” Ms. Tien said.

For her, journalism is not just a job but also a destiny and a debt to Duc Hue - a place she considers her second homeland. “Working in local journalism helps me get closer to the people, telling ordinary but kind stories. It could be the image of a lonely old man, a poor, studious student, a teacher quietly doing charity work or a border guard guarding the border day and night. It is those stories that make me love my job more because journalism for me is not only a job but also a way to contribute a small part to my homeland,” Ms. Tien confided.

Writing for the newspaper as a command from the soldier's heart

Lieutenant Colonel Bien Van Cuong worked in a rain-soaked shirt but still persistently recorded important moments.

Once an information officer familiar with the sun and wind of the training ground, Lieutenant Colonel Bien Van Cuong (Propaganda Assistant, Political Department, Provincial Military Command) came to journalism as a command from the heart and responsibility of a soldier. After completing his second degree in Journalism at the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda, he took with him the teachings of his teachers: "Details make up the topic, the article must reflect the breath of life" as a "compass" for the journey of work of a soldier holding a pen.

Due to the job requirements, he can flexibly perform well all stages from filming, taking photos to editing and editing news and articles, meeting the requirements of today's multimedia journalism. Thanks to that, he has become one of the outstanding collaborators of Long An Radio and Television Newspaper and Military Zone 7 Newspaper.

Immersing himself in the rhythm of military life, he quietly recorded simple yet touching stories about soldiers. “Every time I go to the unit, I often talk to soldiers to listen to their thoughts and feelings. From there, I find special topics, realistically depicting the life and beautiful qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers,” Cuong shared.

The highlight of Cuong's journey was the trip with Team K73 to the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2022, carrying out the mission of searching for and collecting martyrs' remains. He crossed deep forests, waded through streams, carried a camera on his back, carried a tripod in his hand, and a camera around his neck to record every step of the march on the rugged terrain. Notably, at a mountain in Pailin province, where locals reported that there were martyrs' remains but had not been cleared of bombs and mines and only a small team was allowed to approach. Although he was asked to stay at the foot of the mountain, he still asked to go with determination: "This is a moment not to be missed. If my brothers can go up, I must go up too. Not only to do journalism but also to pay tribute to the past" - Cuong confided.

“For me, journalism is part of a soldier’s duty, fighting, recording and protecting the sacred values of the Fatherland. The images and stories I recorded not only reflect the arduous work of Team K73 but also demonstrate the deep affection between the military and people of Vietnam and Cambodia,” Mr. Cuong added.

They came to the profession through different journeys but all have a solid "support" in common: a sincere love for the profession and a spirit of constant dedication to the journalism career. They are the important pieces that contribute to creating a lively and vibrant appearance of the province's press./.

Thu Nhat

Source: https://baolongan.vn/hanh-trinh-dong-gop-cua-nhung-canh-tay-noi-dai--a197429.html