In my younger backpacking days, I used to make it a point to visit orphanages, NGOs and community organisations during my travels. Beyond exploring new places and experiencing different cultures, I wanted to find ways to give back to the communities I visited, even if it was just a small contribution.
Over the years, I've noticed a shift in how these acts of kindness and giving take place. Social media has become a platform where stories of people in need can travel much further and reach a wider audience. A simple post, a shared story or a short video can sometimes translate into immediate help for someone who needs it.
I'm not saying social media is necessarily a good thing. We are all aware of the harm it can cause and how easily information can be manipulated. But every now and then, we also get to see its better side. Its ability to bring people together, create awareness and mobilise help is something worth acknowledging.
Recently, during my visit to Ho Chi Minh City, I came across an Instagram post by Tong and Trang (@tongntrang) featuring Uncle Hoang and his daughter, Dien. Their story caught my attention, and since I happened to be in the city, I decided to make a trip to meet them and buy some of the windmills Uncle Hoang was selling.
Uncle Hoang is a single father raising two young children on his own. Every day, he travels dozens of kilometres from Bien Hoa into Ho Chi Minh City to sell colourful windmills for 15,000 VND each. He usually sets up outside 65 Ung Van Khiem Street in Binh Thanh District, working from the afternoon until late at night. Some days, he manages to sell only a handful.
With rent, daily expenses and two young children to care for, life is understandably difficult. Yet he continues to make the journey every day, doing what he can to provide for his family.
I bought five windmills from him, paying 500,000 VND. But what made the visit particularly memorable wasn't the windmills themselves. It was getting to meet his little girl, Dien.
She was incredibly chatty and friendly, and took quite a liking to my camera. Before I knew it, she had taken over as the photographer, happily snapping pictures of me, the surroundings and even unsuspecting passers-by.
And here's the funny part: some of the photos actually turned out really well! In fact, I think one of them might be the best photograph of myself I've had in a long, long time. I rarely take photographs of myself, let alone have someone else take them.
Behind all that cheerful energy, however, is a family going through some difficult times. Uncle Hoang works hard every day to provide for his children, worrying less about himself than whether he can put food on the table or afford medical care if they fall sick. As a father myself, I can only imagine how difficult that must be.
While I was there, I also noticed two student influencers who had made their way to visit Uncle Hoang. They bought some windmills too and shared their experience on social media, helping to spread the word about his situation.
What happened afterwards was even more encouraging. Tong and Trang continued to follow up with several visits and managed to gather enough funds to cover a year's worth of rent for Uncle Hoang. This would hopefully ease some of his financial burden and allow him to focus on providing for his children's education, including Dien and her brother.
I find this a genuinely heartening outcome. Not because one family's story attracted attention on social media, but because that attention eventually translated into something tangible. A year's worth of rent is no small help for a father trying his best to provide for his children. It gives him a little more breathing room and, hopefully, some peace of mind.
Perhaps this is one of those occasions when social media reminds us of what it can do when used for the right reasons. It connects people who may otherwise never have crossed paths and gives ordinary individuals an opportunity to make a difference, regardless of where they are in the world.
If you're visiting Ho Chi Minh City, do look out for Uncle Hoang outside 65 Ung Van Khiem Street, Binh Thanh District. His windmills are priced at 15,000 VND each. Consider stopping by to buy a few if you happen to be in the area. While his immediate situation has received some much-needed support, continuing to support his small business is another way to help.
I hope Uncle Hoang continues to find the strength to work hard, live happily and provide for his children. And I hope Dien and her brother will have the opportunity to grow up with fewer worries and more possibilities ahead of them.
As travellers, we often talk about the places we've visited, the food we've eaten and the experiences we've collected along the way. But perhaps some of the more meaningful moments are those when we get to connect with people and, in whatever small way, leave something positive behind.
I went there hoping to do a little something to help, but came away with something unexpected too: a lovely encounter, a few photographs taken by a very enthusiastic little girl, and a reminder that sometimes the most memorable moments of travelling aren't the places we visit, but the people we meet.
We don't always have to do something big. Sometimes, it is simply about paying attention, showing up and doing what we can within our means.
After all, a little kindness, when shared among many, can go a long way.
Keep smiling, Dien. ❤️
