For over 30 years, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (born in 1971), in Quarter 8, Gio Linh Town, Gio Linh District, has been working as a carpenter. Not only working hard to develop the family economy, Mr. Thanh is also active and enthusiastic in social activities, supporting and helping people in difficult circumstances in life.

Mr. Thanh is always diligent and dedicated to his work - Photo: TRAN TUYEN

On a cold rainy day at the end of December 2023, we met Mr. Thanh when he and his team of workers were diligently installing wooden items such as doors, ceilings, walls, etc. for a project in Phong Binh commune. Taking advantage of a break, Mr. Thanh said: “In 1987, I studied carpentry in many places in the province. 3 years later, I graduated and worked at my teacher's fine art carpentry establishment in Ward 5, Dong Ha city. In 1993, I joined the army at the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command. Because of my skills, I was assigned by my superiors to work as a carpenter at the Provincial Military School (formerly), Quang Tri town".

After being discharged from the army, Mr. Thanh took his wife and children to live separately in Quarter 8, Gio Linh town. At that time, he worked as a carpenter for local carpentry workshops. In 1999, Mr. Thanh borrowed capital from the bank to open a carpentry workshop. With solid skills and dedicated work, more and more customers came to him, and his carpentry workshop was upgraded and expanded over time. Each year, the workshop has a revenue of nearly 1 billion VND, after deducting expenses, the profit is from 200 - 250 million VND.

In April 2022, with the support and guidance from the Farmers' Association of Gio Linh town, Mr. Thanh established the Civil Carpentry and Fine Arts Group of Quarter 8. “Since the Civil Carpentry and Fine Arts Group was established, we can support and help each other when needed. For example, when there is too much work, the establishments share with each other, if there is a shortage of workers, they will be supported promptly... Currently, the group creates stable jobs for 10 workers with an income of about 400,000 VND/person/day. In 2023, the group was awarded a certificate of merit by the Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Gio Linh district,” Mr. Thanh shared.

When asked about the secret to retaining customers and growing his business, Mr. Thanh asserted: “No matter what job you do, you need to put prestige first. I always ensure the time, progress and quality of raw materials agreed with the customer. Along with that, I constantly learn and update new designs to create beautiful, modern products that satisfy customers.”

In addition to developing the carpentry workshop, Mr. Thanh and his wife also invested in opening a restaurant and providing food services in Ward 8, Gio Linh town, creating regular jobs for 2 workers with an income of 6 million VND/person/month. With this restaurant, his family earns over 150 million VND per year.

Not only is he diligent, hard-working, and devoted to developing his family's economy, Mr. Thanh is also active and enthusiastic in participating in local social activities. He is currently the Head of the Farmers' Association, Head of the People's Protection Team, Deputy Head of the Village Front Committee, Captain of Quarter 8; Coach, Head of the Traditional Martial Arts Association of Gio Linh District. Recently, he has supported 1.2 million VND/year for a child in Quarter 3. This child's situation is very difficult. The family is poor, the child's father passed away due to a serious illness, and the mother alone raises 3 young children who are often sick. In addition, his family also regularly contributes to and supports the local government in organizing and implementing charity and social security activities.

Vice President of the Farmers' Association of Gio Linh Town, Le Thi Ki Na, said that Mr. Thanh is an exemplary farmer branch leader, who has made many contributions to the activities of the association and the locality. Mr. Thanh's civil carpentry workshop has been operating very effectively in recent times, creating regular and seasonal jobs for about 10 workers. Under Mr. Thanh's leadership, the civil carpentry and fine arts group of Quarter 8 has been operating more and more effectively. This is the first group in Gio Linh Town. Not only that, his family members also actively participate in social activities. His wife is the head of the Women's Association, and his daughter is the Secretary of the Youth Union of Quarter 8.

Tran Tuyen