Singing connects the land of love

It wouldn't be strange if one day you were sitting down to eat with friends on a chilly evening in Dalat and heard street singing coming from the karaoke speakers of people who sell songs but not for a living...

If you stop for a minute to observe and listen, you will see that among those songs there is a sound not for yourself but for the unfortunate, homeless... of the Volunteer Group Singing for Life. That song comes from civil servants, public employees, freelance workers... What they have in common is a heart filled with empathy and sharing, they use songs to express their gratitude to life, bringing the money from street vendors to the unfortunate.

With the initial idea of ​​helping the needy and maintaining this activity in a sustainable way, instead of setting up a group to call for kindness from everyone, the pair of friends Bui Quang Anh and Phan Cong Thien Vu came up with a plan to proactively work to create funds, friends who have free time can donate some time off each night to roam around the street corners singing and selling goods together. Said and done, Vu and Quang Anh used their own money to buy portable speakers. Then friends knew to support more money to buy microphones, buy supplies, candy...

And from the beginning of 2019, in the heart of the city, loving songs began a meeting to connect loving arms.

At six o'clock in the evening, regardless of sunny or rainy days, the group of friends gathered at restaurants, bringing their songs to tourists. At first, the group encountered many difficulties. Although Quang Anh proactively asked for permission and introduced the group's goals before singing, the group still had to face suspicious looks and rejection from tourists and restaurant owners. Because it is difficult to make strangers trust each other just because you put on a suit when you have not yet had time to get out of your office role.

In this era of confusion between truth and falsehood, people are not afraid of spending tens of thousands of dong on candy, but they are afraid of losing trust, losing emotions, and increasing suspicion after their kindness and enthusiasm are taken advantage of. To recognize the truth, it takes a lot of time. In the moment of eating and drinking, how many people have enough patience to understand? Being ignored and chased away happens like a daily meal. The group of friends themselves also have difficulty facing their ego when they collide with the eyes of tourists in the above situations. But after each night, sitting and counting the coins from selling candy and thinking about the warm, encouraging eyes of strangers, thinking about the weekend when there are circumstances where people are supported with extra cartons of milk and bags of rice, the group of friends persistently encourages each other. Especially, despite being busy, Quang Anh and Thien Vu are always present.

Handing over a charity house to Mr. K Xinh's family (Lac Xuan, Don Duong)

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Gradually, the shops that the group of friends frequented also understood and knew, because in the digital age, finding out and identifying personal information was not difficult. Especially Quang Anh, who was the operator of the 24h Real Estate Company, was no stranger to businesses in the city. Besides Quang Anh, there were also Thanh Quang (police), Dang Nhat (court), Minh Tam Notary staff, Linh and Bao, Dat... Everyone's enthusiasm was also rewarded. The shops themselves became supporters, sponsors, and called on customers to buy to support the group, especially Ms. Nhu (owner of Ut Nhu seafood).

Every Friday afternoon, the group representative will contact nurses and doctors at Lam Dong General Hospital, Lam Dong Children's Hospital, Lam Dong Rehabilitation Hospital... to find 20 patients in difficulty to support each person with 300,000 VND. On Saturday afternoon, after finishing work at the office, the group of friends will come to the patients to give gifts, encourage them to overcome difficulties and believe that there is still a lot of love from strangers around them.

The group's journey of love received encouragement from the Da Lat City Red Cross. On November 6, 2019, the Da Lat City Red Cross issued Decision 117/QD-CTD recognizing the "Singing for Life Volunteer Group" as a group that conducts social activities in Da Lat City, joining hands to contribute humanitarian funds to support the sick, the poor, orphans... in the province.

Since being recognized, the group's activities have been more favorable. With its open nature, the group's members have increased day by day. In addition to the fixed delivery of 20 gifts, the group also proactively seeks out the elderly, the lonely, and orphans each week to support them with 1,500,000 VND and necessities each month.

Each group member is an extension of kind hearts to those in difficult circumstances. Whenever hearing news of unfortunate lives fighting for their lives, the group immediately supports, shares, and encourages poor patients. During the Lunar New Year of Canh Ty, group members went to Dam Rong to give 210 gifts (total amount of 82,000,000 VND) to the disadvantaged people; two charity trips carrying food and necessities to support the Central region (2020); handing over a charity house to Mr. K Xinh's family (Lac Xuan - Don Duong)...

Accompanying the Central region

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

The group of friends quietly and enthusiastically encouraged each other to maintain and expand their activities with the belief that this was a way to repay life for giving us a body that was still healthy enough to work, a place to shelter from the sun and rain, a job to do, and parents to love... Do whatever we can for each other in life, without being concerned about winning or losing.

In the story The Beggar by Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev that each of us has read when teaching children, it reminds us that love and kindness sometimes do not only mean giving someone material things, but more importantly, it also requires heart, understanding, sharing, and compassion.

For large companies, businesses, and well-off individuals, donating several hundred million each year to the unfortunate is not rare, not strange, not large. However, the way the "Volunteer Group Singing for Life" operates and works contributes to expanding the circle of arms, spreading and evoking the spirit of helping each other. From 10 initial members, the group now has more than 500 people.

Volunteer group at Nguyen Khong Monastery - Luc Hoa Orphanage

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

On a large scale, spending thirty or fifty thousand to buy candy, dropping a love icon, or trusting a group activity post is also an indirect way to encourage and support the spirit. Volunteering does not need to distinguish between rich and poor, does not need to have a surplus economy , just need a heart, generosity, empathy, understanding, everyone can contribute to sowing love.

The same goes for each of us, volunteering and living a good life is not far away. You bend down to pick up a bag of trash that someone threw on the street, move aside to let the ambulance go faster to the hospital, smile warmly at strangers, listen to each other, give each other a little trust, take back negative emotions..., it's simple but who knows, maybe those small actions are like warm rays of sunshine bringing spring to those around you. When there is enough love in the heart, all limits will naturally disappear...

The fifth Living Well Writing Contest was held to encourage people to write about noble actions that have helped individuals or communities. This year, the contest focused on praising individuals or groups that have performed acts of kindness, bringing hope to those in difficult circumstances.

The highlight is the new environmental award category, honoring works that inspire and encourage action for a green, clean living environment. Through this, the Organizing Committee hopes to raise public awareness in protecting the planet for future generations.

The contest has diverse categories and prize structure, including:

Article categories: Journalism, reportage, notes or short stories, no more than 1,600 words for articles and 2,500 words for short stories.

Articles, reports, notes:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 2 second prizes: 15,000,000 VND

- 3 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 3,000,000 VND

Short story:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 20,000,000 VND

- 2 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 4 consolation prizes: 5,000,000 VND

Photo category: Submit a photo series of at least 5 photos related to volunteer activities or environmental protection, along with the name of the photo series and a short description.

- 1 first prize: 10,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 5,000,000 VND

- 1 third prize: 3,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 2,000,000 VND

Most Popular Prize: 5,000,000 VND

Prize for Excellent Essay on Environmental Topic: 5,000,000 VND

Honored Character Award: 30,000,000 VND

The deadline for submissions is October 16, 2025. The works will be evaluated through the preliminary and final rounds with the participation of a jury of famous names. The organizing committee will announce the list of winners on the "Beautiful Life" page. See detailed rules at thanhnien.vn .

Organizing Committee of the Beautiful Living Contest

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tieng-hat-noi-mien-yeu-thuong-185251004152604985.htm