Journalist The Luong interviewed people from Poong village, Tam Chung commune, Muong Lat border district while evacuating from the historic flood in September 2018.
“Whether it was when I was at Thanh Hoa Newspaper, or many years working for Nong Thon Ngay Nay Newspaper, or now as a resident reporter forthe Education and Times Newspaper in Thanh Hoa, most of my topics are about the mountainous regions of Thanh Hoa. I have set foot in all the border areas, the most remote villages in Thanh Hoa,” journalist Nguyen The Luong shared. That is why he has conveyed hundreds of articles about the rickety classrooms, the hardships of children in the highlands going to school, to the hardships of teachers in the border areas who carry letters to the mountains every day... Each of his articles records a real experience, in which readers find a true image of social life in the highlands.
Many years ago, information technology was not as developed as it is today, so only by going directly to the scene of the incident could we get images to send back. The authentic photos from the flood disaster areas were recorded through the lens of The Luong (or another pen name, Hong Duc). Traveling a lot, being so dedicated, but he did not want to say much about himself. After much questioning, he smiled very gently and said: “I also cannot remember how many works I have done in my journalism career so far. There are many certificates of merit from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province, the Tran Mai Ninh Journalism Award, I only remember exactly winning the C prize of the National Journalism Award in 2013 when participating in the series "The burden of the new countryside". In 2021 and 2023, I won the first prize of the National Journalism Award for the cause of Vietnamese education twice...".
Journalist The Luong took a souvenir photo with Ngan Thi Doa's family 10 years ago (photo provided by the character).
There may be many comments about him depending on each person's perspective, but to me, The Luong is also a "multi-faceted" journalist. "Multi-faceted" here is understood in terms of responsibility to the base, to the characters, to what he has experienced.
“In mid-2012, when I went to work in the remote Co Cai village of Trung Ly border commune (Muong Lat), I witnessed 3 Thai students having to live in a rickety bamboo hut on the hillside to study. The oldest, Ngan Thi Doa, was just 10 years old and in 4th grade, and had to take care of and tutor 2 younger siblings (one in 2nd grade and one in preschool). Seeing the 3 children eating a “meal” of wild vegetables dipped in white salt made many people feel heartbroken. When I heard the teachers of Trung Ly 2 Primary School talk about the situation of the 3 children, I felt even more sympathetic. At that time, most children in the highlands dropped out of school because the roads were too far and the economic conditions were poor. The house of Ngan Thi Doa and her 2 siblings was nearly 7 kilometers from the school, winding and dangerous forest roads, and there were many streams crossing, making it impossible to go to school, but the children still loved to go to school. Doa’s parents had to go near the school to build a bamboo hut, roof it, and “I had to use palm leaves to house the three children, and only walked home on weekends to get more rice. Feeling sorry for them, I told the teachers that I could adopt the children and help them financially and spiritually to pursue their dreams of education,” journalist The Luong recalled.
Exactly one month later, thanks to the teachers' matchmaking, he traveled nearly 300 kilometers, crossing the Ma River to visit the children's parents to discuss adopting a child. Later, Doa was matched by his adoptive father to study at the provincial boarding school for ethnic minorities, and was admitted to Hong Duc University. More than ten years have passed, and last year I saw him happily sharing a status and picture of his adopted daughter, Ngan Thi Doa, who had graduated from the Faculty of Primary Education and was recruited as a teacher at a school in Ha Trung district.
Journalist The Luong hired a boat to cross the Ma River to enter the isolated flood-hit Muong Lat area in September 2018.
That “multi-tasking” is also shown through the results of his charity appeals after trips to schools and to people in difficult places. After the articles in the Education and Times Newspaper - the media agency of the Ministry of Education and Training, there were calls for generous donors to contribute. He quietly called for and then acted as a bridge for charity gift-giving programs from year to year without any fanfare.
Throughout his journalism career, no matter which agency he works for, The Luong is still an enthusiastic senior who shares topics and is willing to help young reporters who are new to the profession. Reporter Luong Toan, from the Office of the Elderly Magazine in Thanh Hoa, shared: “From 2021 to mid-2023, I worked at the Education and Times Newspaper, based in Thanh Hoa. I was fortunate to work with journalist Nguyen The Luong - a senior with 30 years of "keeping the fire of the profession". With the experience and dedication of his predecessor, he helped me a lot, at the same time awakening my passion and desire to contribute to the profession. He helped me realize that journalism not only requires passion but also courage and responsibility. From there, I know that I need to cultivate and practice, always keep a cool head and a warm heart to know how to share, sympathize and know how to stop before the pain of the characters".
Article and photos: Le Dong
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nha-bao-the-luong-toi-da-den-tat-ca-cac-ban-lang-vung-sau-vung-xa-nhat-xu-thanh-252585.htm
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