Travel blogger Quy Coc Tu, returning from his aid work in Central Vietnam: “I LEARNED MORE FROM THIS TRIP THAN FROM ANY OTHER I HAVE TAKEN”
Recently, Vietnam has looked after the Central region, which has been continuously hit by big storms. Many people from the North and the South have joined hands to help the Central region by donating or coming to its aid. Among those people was travel blogger Ngo Tran Hai An, a.k.a Quy Coc Tu.
Full name: Ngo Tran Hai An
Date of birth: October 29
Hometown: Bao Loc, Lam Dong
Residence: HCMC
Occupation: travel blogger, photojournalist
Ngo Tran Hai An (a.k.a Quy Coc Tu) is one of the most popular travel bloggers in Vietnam today. He has visited more than 40 countries from Asia to Europe, and is the first person ever to discover many new traveling routes in Vietnam. However, what makes Ngo Tran Hai An the favorite of the traveler community is not his remarkable “achievement”, but his optimistic attitude and positive energy for all matters in life.
IF YOU CAN’T SAVE THE WORLD, YOU STILL CAN SAVE MANY PEOPLE FROM HUNGER FOR AT LEAST ONE NIGHT. WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS TO GIVE THEM MORE BELIEF AND MORE HEALTH TO STAY UP UNTIL TOMORROW, WHEN OTHER PEOPLE COME TO HELP THEM.
CAN YOU SHARE THE REASON WHY YOU DECIDED TO LEAVE ALL YOUR UNFINISHED PROJECTS TO GO TO THE CENTRAL REGION TO OFFER AID?
These are all places I visited; I met the locals and lived their lives, therefore when I read the news about the horrible storms and floods going on, I could visualize all the broken places and all the people’s despair everything is very close and very real to me. I can’t help but come to aid them; it would be so painful for me if I didn’t.
PREVIOUSLY, THERE WERE MANY CELEBRITIES CALLED ON THE SOCIETY TO DONATE AND HELP PEOPLE IN NEED. SOME PEOPLE WERE SUPPORTED, BUT MANY OTHER LATER WERE CAUGHT IN CONTROVERSY. AS AN INFLUENCER, ARE YOU AFRAID YOU WILL HAVE SUCH TROUBLE?
Actually, the urgent situation in the Central region made me not think much of it. Before, I also participated in many charitable activities, so I know how to organize, arrange and calculate things so that all revenues and expenditures are transparent.
Just make sure it’s transparent, everything else doesn’t need to be overly concerned. The biggest thing I worry about is how to get my help, and everyone, to the right people.
IT IS KNOWN THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU RECEIVED FROM SPONSORS IS ABOUT MORE THAN 500 MILLION VND, HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN COMPARING THAT AMOUNT WITH THE NUMBERS BILLIONS, EVEN TENS OF BILLIONS THAT SOME OTHER PEOPLE WERE CALLING FOR AT THE SAME TIME?
In my opinion, it doesn’t matter if you raise 500 million VND or 1 billion VND, you help 1,000 people or 1 person - it matters that you are contributing to share the message that people need to care and love each other. That is the great thing about charity work.
WITH THE AMOUNT OF 500 MILLION VND AND TWO RELIEF VISITS IN QUANG BINH AND QUANG NAM, DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE BEEN OF GREAT HELP TO THE PEOPLE HERE?
I believe that our team have helped people we met.
If you can’t save the world, you still can save many people from hunger for at least one night. What you have done is to give them more
But to me, what is more important are the stories I brought back from the trip - and I will bring those stories to share with others. I believe that there will be more people feel the same as me.
SO ARE THERE ANY STORIES ON THE TRIP THAT YOU ESPECIALLY REMEMBER?
It was when I came to Tra Leng. I could not imagine this place was once a lovely village - because now it was just a messy rocky ground. An old man sitting next to two new graves had lost eight of his family members in a landslide. Upon seeing those scenes, I felt a shiver down my spine. I didn’t know how to comfort him but held his hands to express my condolences.
COMPARED TO YOUR PREVIOUS TRIPS AROUND THE WORLD, DOES THIS SPECIAL ONE HELP YOU LEARN ANYTHING?
Many things! Everyone I met on my trip helped me learn more about the locals’ situations and lives, to know how strong they are. When they walked through the flooded areas to receive our gifts, they still smiled and many people even told me that “that’s enough, give it to other people”. not the only one, because I will continue to share and spread this story with all the people I meet.
AFTER FINISHING THIS TRIP, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PLANS TO CONTINUE HELPING THEM?
I will come back there to help educate the children and to support the lonely elderly, because there are many others funding relief gifts of food or money. I am planning to do it in December.
IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD CELEBRITIES, INFLUENCERS, AND KOLS CALL FOR SUPPORT AND RELIEF, OR SHOULD WE LEAVE THAT TO THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS ORGANIZED PROPERLY?
I think if aid is not forbidden by law, just do it. Before going to the Central region, I contacted the Department of Tourism of Quang Binh and Da Nang in advance,
If you do large scale charity work, you will definitely need a system with certain cooperation for everything to be done precisely. Even so, the greatest guide is your own conscience.
belief and more health to stay up until tomorrow, when other people come to help them.
Those are lessons that no school or teacher can teach me. I’ve learned so many things in this trip, but I’m THE FIRST FACEBOOK VIDEO ABOUT MY AID WORK RECEIVED MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION VIEWS, MORE THAN 27,000 SHARES AND MORE THAN 70,000 LIKES IN A SHORT TIME. I DID NOT EXPECT THAT, AND IT IS A SIGNAL TO ME THAT I AM SOMEWHAT SPREADING MY MESSAGE TO MY FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY. then discussed with committees of wards and communes for practical and effective cooperation from both sides.