Vietnam Veteran Lifts 100+ Families Out of Poverty at 66

At 66, Nguyen Nhu That could be relaxing after a lifetime of service. Instead, he's spending his days in the narrow alleys of Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Hung Ward, helping families escape poverty one loan application at a time.

That enlisted as an engineering soldier in 1985, designing bunkers during wartime. When he retired from a civilian job in 2015, he immediately took on a new mission as neighborhood head of Quarter 8.

His approach to poverty reduction is simple but revolutionary. Rather than handing out temporary aid, he connects struggling families with the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, personally guaranteeing their loans and completing their paperwork.

Veteran Nguyen Huu Nghia's story shows how this works. The security guard was barely making ends meet while caring for his wife after her stroke left her bedridden. That helped him secure a small business loan to open a rice shop, and the family officially rose out of poverty within months.

That's most ambitious project rallied over 100 households to contribute $68,000 toward repaving their main road. He walked door to door for a month, answering questions and showing design plans. His patience and transparency paid off when neighbors collected the full amount just before Lunar New Year 2021.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, That didn't slow down. He entered isolation zones to deliver medicine and relief supplies, earning a Certificate of Merit from Vietnam's Prime Minister.

Sunny's Take

What makes That special isn't just his tireless energy. It's his understanding that real change comes from giving people the tools to help themselves. He maintains scholarship funds for students, organizes seasonal support campaigns, and has mobilized donors to provide funeral assistance to struggling families.

His track record speaks volumes. For ten straight years, from 2015 to 2025, That earned recognition as an exemplary Party member. The party cell he leads consistently ranks as excellent.

"Growing up in the army, my nature is that once I take on a job, I must do it thoroughly," That says. "Wherever my health is still there, I will contribute."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Deputy Head of Tan Hung Ward's Culture and Social Affairs Department, calls That a model veteran who embodies the spirit of service. He's proof that the biggest battles aren't always fought on traditional battlefields.

From engineering bunkers to engineering economic independence, Nguyen Nhu That has found his calling in peacetime service.