'Village elder' in Bach Long Vi

"I can't explain why I'm so good"

In 1992, young man Tran Van Hien (then 22 years old, from Tien Hai, Thai Binh ), joined the army and went to Bach Long Vi, the farthest outpost island in the Gulf of Tonkin. "At that time, the island only had soldiers and was very wild with only sand, rocks and cacti, not a single green tree," Mr. Hien recalled. When he first set foot on the island, he thought he would just complete his duty and return to his hometown, but then this soldier became attached and became the person who stayed the longest on the outpost island. In March 1993, after Bach Long Vi island district was established, he transferred to the Youth Volunteer Corps, working with 62 youth volunteers from the mainland to build the island.

General Secretary To Lam and the Central delegation visited the people of Bach Long Vi island district in November 2024.

PHOTO: VNA

"We had to start building houses right away to have a place to live and increase production. The work was done by human labor because there was no electricity or water. I was on the roof concrete pouring team, and every day I had to carry up to 90 baskets of materials up and down about 180 times. We worked almost all night, sometimes until 2-3am, and then got up in the morning to go to work. Now I can't think why I was able to do that, why I was so good!", he said.

Working was hard, but not as hard as the lack of water for daily use. He and his teammates had to shave their heads to save water, saving it for the women. Food was difficult, because in the early years, there was only one ship to supply food every 3 months, so there was a shortage of vegetables. "We had a saying that rice was eaten with rice. After cooking rice, we would boil instant noodles into water and pour it over the rice, calling it soup," he recalled.

Mr. Tran Van Hien, who spent his youth attached to Bach Long Vi island

PHOTO: XUAN TUNG

Not only did they face material difficulties, they also lacked spiritually. The island had no television or telephone, but was full of danger. "Sometimes hundreds of foreign fishing boats surrounded the island to intimidate us. At first, the youth volunteers were also confused," he recalled. But in the end, the youth volunteers and the army became living landmarks on the outpost island and built Bach Long Vi into the first Youth Island in the country.

Special wedding

When Mr. Hien decided to stay and build the island, his family on the mainland did not agree, but he was determined to stay. "I just thought that I was young, so I wanted to try my hand at the storms, nurture the desire to build the island and definitely protect sovereignty," he confided. Then he built a home right on the island. His wife was one of the first 62 young volunteers to build the island. At that time, the only ones who stopped him were his wife's parents because they felt sorry for their daughter who would have to live long-term amidst the storms. He told his lover: "If we can't get married, we can still be friends. When you come back to the mainland, let me go home and talk to my parents." Once when he returned to the mainland, he was determined to visit his lover's family, promised to live with her grandparents and was accepted.

On the wedding day of the couple, both families could not attend. The military force representing the groom's family and the bride's family were youth volunteers. "The wedding only had singing to drown out the sound of the waves. But the whole island was very happy, because we were the second couple to build a home on the island," Mr. Hien recalled, saying that the couple had gone through many difficulties when their parents were sick but could not come to visit. When his mother passed away, he could not come to say goodbye to her for the last time.

"Consider the island as your home"

Over 30 years of attachment to the island is also a process of continuous effort , work, study and striving of Mr. Hien. Currently, he is the leader of Bach Long Vi Youth Volunteer Team (under the General Youth Volunteer Team of Hai Phong City) and has participated in many projects with the youth volunteers.

Now, when coming to the island, everyone is surprised by the electricity, roads, schools, and stations that are spacious and modern, no different from the mainland. Bach Long Vi has become a beautiful island with unique check-in points such as a dock that can accommodate hundreds of vehicles, Bach Long Tu Pagoda, Bach Long Vi lighthouse, or a wind power pole with the words "I love my Fatherland". Especially the Youth Volunteer flagpole, affirming the sovereignty of the sea and islands... Every project has the efforts of the Youth Volunteers.

Mr. Hien said the most impressive thing was when he participated in building the Thanh Nien Xung Phong flagpole in 1998, marking 5 years since the youth volunteers built the island. At that time, Vice President Truong My Hoa attended the inauguration ceremony and presented the project. Since the sovereignty milestone was built, this place has become a meaningful destination for every visiting delegation. Everyone can attend the sacred flag-raising ceremony at this flagpole. "This is one of the meaningful projects, both a mark of the youth volunteers and a demonstration of the great concern of the Party and State for the sovereignty of the sea and islands. Recently, General Secretary To Lam visited and worked on the island. This is a great honor and pride for Thanh Nien Bach Long Vi island and generations of youth volunteers," Mr. Hien shared.

Bach Long Vi Youth Island today is filled with green and modern constructions.

PHOTO: NGUYEN NGAN

According to Mr. Hien, with the attention of the Party, the State, the Youth Union and the efforts of the youth volunteers, Bach Long Vi Youth Island has changed every day. "The Youth Volunteers have planted 68 hectares and protected more than 390 hectares of forest, contributing to bringing green to Bach Long Vi, preserving rare freshwater resources and improving the ecological environment on the island...".

Mr. Hien also proudly said that over the past 30 years, many generations of Bach Long Vi youth volunteers have grown up, with 55 people recruited and transferred to the district's departments and branches. The youth volunteer residential area has 38 households, with 45 children born on the island. 100% of the youth volunteer households have decided to build a long-term life on the island and consider it their second home. Among them, Mr. Hien's family has stayed the longest, he has become a "village elder" with 32 years on the island.

Asked why he has been attached to the island for so long, he smiled: "Up to now, many people have asked me that question, but I cannot answer. Maybe because I consider the island my home."

Ms. Nguyen Bich Hop, Captain of the Hai Phong City Youth Volunteer Team, said: "Mr. Hien is a person with a strong love for the sea and islands and has a long-term, dedicated attachment to Bach Long Vi Island. At work, he is very energetic, responsible, and always leads the Bach Long Vi Youth Volunteer Team to excellently complete assigned tasks."