'Blue roses' in harsh Africa

Senior Lieutenant Le Thi Van Trang (obstetrician and gynecologist, specialized surgery department, Level 2 Field Hospital No. 6) set off for her mission in Africa with confidence and enthusiasm filled with youthful heart.

Senior Lieutenant Van Trang in a red ao dai printed with the Vietnamese flag in South Sudan - Photo: NCCC

As soon as she learned that she would be joining a field hospital in South Sudan, Africa, Van Trang decided to temporarily put her graduate studies on hold to devote herself to the mission, to international missions, as a way to continue the tradition of her fathers "who put down their pens and went to war".

Joining later than her teammates, she was inevitably confused and worried, but the days of physical training, combat training, survival training, professional development and receiving experience sharing from experts helped her gain more confidence every day.

"In the luggage I carry, family is always my spiritual support. It is my father's warm advice, the taste of my mother's homeland wrapped in every dish, the love for the Fatherland, the desire for peace , enthusiasm and above all, the determination of youth," Trang shared.

The most memorable memory that Dr. Van Trang will always remember is the emergency case of a pregnant woman with twins at 24 weeks, her water broke early, 400km away from the unit and the unit's first air ambulance mission.

"Receiving the news at 1am, we immediately prepared all the equipment and emergency medicine, ready to depart by helicopter. The first time we boarded the helicopter, with the sound of the engine ringing in our ears and the heat of about 40 degrees, each of us wearing protective gear weighing about 10kg, focused on treating the pregnant woman.

On that 400km journey, I clearly felt the empathy between people from two continents with different skin colors and languages, but the same heartbeat," Lieutenant Trang recalled with emotion.

The emergency surgery was successful, both mother and two children were safe. The mother's grateful handshake was something Trang would remember forever and it was a priceless reward, deeply engraved in the young female doctor's memory.

For Major Le Thi Phuong Dung, military observer in the Abyei region (UNISFA Mission), she set off for her assignment with mixed emotions, pride but also anxiety.

"Is the security stable where I go? How will I apply the knowledge and skills I have learned? And more importantly, how can I spread the image and noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" in a multicultural international environment?", Ms. Dung recalled.

Going on an international mission and leaving her two children, 9 and 4 years old, at home with their grandparents, Ms. Dung tried to overcome her feelings of homesickness by preparing everything for her children.

As a female military observer, she has to regularly patrol and have direct contact with people in areas with potential safety risks, from bombs, mines, looting to armed conflicts.

But thanks to the advantage of being a woman, she can easily access and exploit information, especially from indigenous women and children, who easily sympathize and share with female soldiers of the United Nations peacekeeping force.

Civil service work with indigenous people is one of the most important tasks of a UN military observer. It is not only a professional skill, but also a "bridge" that helps Ms. Dung build trust and connect with the community where she works.

In September 2024, professional military captain Nguyen Thi Nguyet Ha, administrative-financial officer, Engineering Team No. 3, began her assignment in the Abyei area (UNISFA Mission).

Along with 17 other female soldiers, she carries pride in her noble international mission, but cannot help but worry. However, she is luckier than many of her comrades because "this trip is a couple" because her partner works in the same unit, and is the support for both of them to share the hardships.

Civil activism activities in the Abyei region brought Ms. Ha memorable experiences, including a propaganda session on preventing sexual violence at a primary school.

"I will always remember the moment when the children recognized us as Vietnamese, greeted us in Vietnamese and gave us bracelets made of grass.

All those images made me realize that even though I was not directly on the front line, each act of sharing would contribute to connecting feelings, so that the image of Vietnamese female soldiers would become familiar and close in the eyes of the local people," professional military captain Nguyen Thi Nguyet Ha emotionally recalled.

Three female soldiers with three different positions, from financial management, health care, to patrolling dangerous areas, but share the same will and ideal.

Amidst the harsh conditions of Africa, those blue berets always maintain a kind heart, spreading the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" as resilient and compassionate, becoming a bridge connecting Vietnam with international friends.