Lang Nu was a small village nestled among the mountain ranges in northern Vietnam. The once tranquil village surrounded by lush rice terraces, was wiped out by the heavy disaster. Buried underneath the thick layers of mud and rubble were everything that the Lang Nu villagers had: their belongings, and their own family members.

Nguyễn Văn Hành, a 17-year-old boy in the village, recalled that fateful morning: "I remember it was about 6am. I was sleeping and heard my mother call to run. My mother held my hand and we held hands and ran to the stairs when the flood came.”

Hành survived, but his mother could not make it. As he woke up in the hospital a day after the disaster, he was informed that his mother’s body was found. Just at the end of last year, his father passed away. Now that the flash flood took away Hanh’s only surviving family member, he became orphaned.

Nguyen Xuan Khang, principal of Marie Curie school in Hanoi (Photo: VOV2)

Nguyen Xuan Khang, principal of Marie Curie school in Hanoi was shocked when he heard about the floods and landslide in Lang Nu and losses that the village was suffering. Mr. Khang is no stranger to philanthropy - having made his mark with a series of charity projects to provide education for underprivileged ethnic minority students.

He said: “I watched a video clip about Nguyen Van Hanh who was injured and lost his mother in the disaster. I could not hold my tear when learning that a schoolboy had to give up schooling due to his circumstances. I called the Thanh Nien newspaper and asked for Hanh’s teacher’s phone number and told her to encourage Hanh to continue to go to school.“

Thanks to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong, Vice Principal of Bao Yen 1 High School, and a reporter from Thanh Nien Newspaper, Mr. Khang talked to Hanh on the phone. Before the call, Hanh was an orphan with an uncertain future, but now Hanh has a "grandfather", who accompanies him a new path full of hope.

Hong said: "Teacher Khang was deeply moved. When I shared Hanh's situation with him, he immediately agreed to help. He said he would help Hanh, at least until the end of high school. Mr. Khang is not just a mentor or teacher to Hanh, but family."

A school in Lang Nu (Photo: VOV)

Hanh became the first student of the "Project to Raise Children and Students of Lang Nu hamlet post-Flash Flood” of teacher Khang and Marie Curie School. Besides Hanh's case, Mr. Khang also requested a list from the local government and education department of children aged 15 and under who had survived the flash flood, to include them in the project.

As part of the initiative, Mr. Khang and Marie Curie School committed to supporting these children until they turn 18, providing a monthly allowance of 3 million VND (120 USD) per child, which would be transferred directly to their parents or guardians.

"My biggest hope now is to get a specific list of the surviving children so we can take care of them, give them a better life, and ensure they receive a proper education,” said Mr. Khang.

Nearly a month after the flood, survivors are still living in temporary shelters while awaiting the construction of their new village. Local authorities and construction teams are working tirelessly, aiming to complete the new village by December 31, so that the residents can move back in before the Lunar New Year (Tet).

Trinh Xuan Truong, Chairman of the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee, expressed his hopes: "With the love, support, and generosity of people both locally and across the country, I am confident that we will build a better future. Though Lang Nu Village was lost to storms, floods, and natural disasters, we are determined to rebuild it—more beautiful, safer, and filled with compassion."

The new village is slowly taking shape, not far from where the old Lang Nu once stood. The hope is that the flood survivors will soon regain their peaceful lives and heal from their losses. And that the children of Lang Nu will continue their education, pursuing their dreams of a brighter future.