On this day, the second Sunday in May and also Mother’s Day, Kind Deeds honors the quiet sacrifices of women who dedicate their youth to caring for their families and loved ones.
A woman who opened a free library to nurture children’s love for reading
“Our family was very poor, but even if there was less food on the table, there always had to be money for books and newspapers”. Her grandfather's words instilled in Nguyen Thu Huong's mother a deep love of books. Inspired by her mother’s example, she went on to establish a free library for children. In 2019, she moved the furniture out of her living room and replaced it with shelves filled with books. That simple beginning gave birth to “Mother’s Balcony”.
Today, her daughter, little Tue Chi, continues that journey by confidently introducing her favorite books to other children with excitement and innocence.
Doan Thi Bich Van, Nguyen Thu Huong, and Vu Minh Tue Chi appeared together at the Kind Deeds studio, sharing stories about books, children, and the simple joys that touched the audience deeply. Three generations and three different ages are bonded by the same beautiful love for books and sharing.
A woman who became a “godmother” to dozens of orphaned children
For more than 14 years, Giap Thi Hien has been doing charity work in Tan Yen, Bac Ninh Province, providing strong support to many poor students and orphaned children. The local community speaks of her with sincere gratitude. They remember her as woman who collected scrap materials to raise scholarship funds, sought old bicycles to help children to get to school, called for support to repair damaged homes, and patiently carried out the “Godmother” program for children lacking family care.
The May edition of Kind Deeds featured Duong Thi Ngoc Ha and Tran Minh Nguyet, two students who received support from Hien. For Minh Nguyet, that support allowed her to continueher education and filled a deep emotional void in her life.
A Swiss woman bringing “miracles” to thousands of disadvantaged Vietnamese children
One encounter changed changed Swiss artist Aline Rebeaud's life forever. Thirty-three years ago, when she was 19, she heard soft crying coming from a dark alley in Ho Chi Minh City. Approaching the sound, she saw a thin, starving boy sitting beside a pile of trash. Moved by his situation, she took him out for a bowl of noodles and then decided to find a place to care for him. That moment marked the beginning of “Mother Tim’s” journey.
Having never married or had children of her own, she devoted her youth and her entire life to becoming a mother figure to thousands of disadvantaged people. Disabled children, homeless individuals, and forgotten souls found a home at Maison Chance, a place she built with compassion and kindness. In 2013, she officially became a Vietnamese citizen with name Hoang Nu Ngoc Tim.
Le Cam Tien, a young woman who has lived at Maison Chance for 17 years, was also featured as the program guest. Having lost her mother and suffered abuse at the hands of her father, Tien found a new family at Maison Chance, where she was cared for, loved, and educated. Today, she works alongside Mother Tim to maintain the activities at Maison Chance. After more than three decades, Maison Chance has grown to include four centers: Maison Chance, the Wings Center andLucky Village in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as a social support center in Dak Nong Province.
From a small balcony library in Hanoi, to supporting orphaned children in Bac Ninh supported with compassion, to the more than 30-year journey of a Swiss woman who chose to stay in Vietnam because of “love”, these mothers leave behind a legacy far greater than material wealth. It is found in the smiling eyes of once-wounded children, in dreams that continue to grow, and in the feeling of being loved that stays with them throughout life.
Replay“Kind Deeds in May: What Mother Never Told” on the VTVgo application and the official Kind Deeds fanpage.
Vietnam Television produces Kind Deeds in collaboration with PSC Media. In partnership with THACO Group, the program has continued to spread kindness and inspire positive values through meaningful community projects over the years.
