Recently, Ms. Tran Thi Kim Thia, also known as Mrs. Sau Thia by the people of Hung Thanh commune, Thap Muoi district, Dong Thap province, was voted by Forbes Vietnam Magazine as one of the 20 inspirational women of 2021 for her community activities. This is the first time that Forbes Vietnam has honored women of all ages who have pioneered, broken through activities, overcome limitations and adversities to create positive impacts, and remove the walls, whether visible or invisible, that have long hindered women's development.
Starting her career in 2006, despite the long and difficult time, Mrs. Thia still perseveres with her love for children.
According to statistics from Hung Thanh commune, over the past ten years, more than 3,800 children have learned how to swim and survive in river areas through Ms. Sau's free swimming classes. The drowning rate in children has also decreased significantly as more than 200 children participate in swimming lessons each year with a swimming rate of over 95%. This single woman's devotion to children has been recognized by society and management agencies through many certificates of merit from local and central levels. She was in the top 100 outstanding women in the world in 2017 voted by BBC news agency. In 2018, she was one of three individuals in the Mekong Delta honored to receive the KOVA award, "Living Beautifully" category. In April this year, she was awarded the Third Class Labor Medal by the Prime Minister . Being included in the top 20 inspirational women of 2021 voted by Forbes Vietnam is completely unexpected but extremely worthy for this 63-year-old woman.
Mrs. Sau Thia teaches children to swim
During these days, despite the complicated developments of the epidemic and the need to temporarily suspend swimming lessons, Mrs. Sau Thia is still worried about children drowning, so she diligently goes through each hamlet to remind parents to be more vigilant and watch their children carefully. Many parents around the hamlet cannot be close to their children because of their livelihood, so Mrs. Sau is even more concerned, watching over and advising the children to help them be more aware of protecting themselves.
Not only taking care of children who know how to swim, in the past 30 years since the woman from Go Cong drifted to Thap Muoi to live, Mrs. Sau has saved every penny of hers along with the bonuses from certificates of merit and medals to buy rice for lonely elderly people and buy candy for poor children. She herself is a single woman, illiterate, without material wealth, living only on hired work through many different jobs such as construction worker, porter, lottery ticket seller, lotus seed peeler, cashew nut peeler, so how can she have a sufficient economy . That is why her work is considered "the torn leaves cover the torn leaves", and is even more precious.
Doing good deeds to help others and help life is what each of us desires. However, not everyone has enough patience, perseverance, and perseverance to overcome all barriers, sacrificing their own happiness to dedicate themselves to the community. The will to overcome difficulties and the immense kindness of Mrs. Sau Thia have been spreading the message of love and inspiration to all Vietnamese women regardless of circumstances or age. Having spent almost her entire life attached to the river, Mrs. Sau is now anxiously waiting for the pandemic to pass quickly so that she can return to teaching children to swim - a normal but extraordinary job.
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