The man behind the idea of ​​'charging membership fees' to support Cuba

It is known that one of the pioneers behind that wave is Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien (30 years old, Yen Hoa ward, Hanoi ), administrator of 13 online communities with a total of more than one million members. Mr. Kien is the one who called for support in a unique but effective way, attracting thousands of people to respond, contributing to strongly spreading the spirit of mutual love.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, administrator of 13 large communities with more than 1 million members, calls for support for Cuba.

“I myself donated 1.2 million VND to Cuba. But thinking back, that amount was still too small compared to the actual needs. While I manage 13 communities with more than a million members, why not take advantage of that resource to create greater strength? That’s why I thought of “collecting membership fees” as a way to get people to pay attention and be willing to contribute,” Kien shared.

“At first, I was very scared. I had never called for a fee before, so I was worried about being misunderstood or distorted. Maybe someone would think badly of me or say I was taking advantage. But then I asked myself: if I don’t do it, who knows, maybe there are many people who want to help Cuba but don’t know how, or don’t have anyone with enough credibility to stand up and call for help? If we stay silent out of fear, the community will lose the opportunity to spread positive things.” Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien

Just a few hours after the announcement, thousands of members responded enthusiastically. Many even humorously declared “paying the fee 100 years in advance”, transferring 1 million VND, or even “500 years” with an amount of up to 5 million VND.

“My feeling at that time was extremely proud. Just a small individual, but when standing with the community, the meaning becomes great. I did not expect the members to be so united, sharing their feelings with Cuba, a friend who has stood shoulder to shoulder with Vietnam during difficult years. I was truly surprised and happy to see people willing to do such great things,” Mr. Kien emotionally shared.

According to Mr. Kien, the strength of the Vietnamese online community this time is not accidental: “In the hearts of Vietnamese people, there is already love and solidarity. When we mention Cuba, everyone understands that it is not only a distant country, but also a friend who was willing to sacrifice for Vietnam. The transfer to the Central Red Cross Society, with the content clearly stating “CUBA”, makes everyone feel that they are directly contributing to that brotherhood.”

He said, of course, there were also some opinions questioning why there was a “fee”. But what was admirable was that without him having to speak up, hundreds of other members automatically explained, defended, and spread the true meaning of the campaign: “It is that consensus that makes me believe even more that the Vietnam-Cuba love still burns in the hearts of many people”.

Message of responsibility

Not just stopping at a charity campaign on social media platforms, Mr. Kien hopes to send a bigger message to Vietnamese youth: love of history and sense of community responsibility. "Recently, I have read and watched a lot of historical documents. Partly because it is preparing for National Day on September 2nd, partly because I realize that history is the most important part of every human being. Forgetting history means losing the country immediately. I hope that young people will learn more, love the history of the nation more, respect the sacrifices of their predecessors. From there, promote the spirit of patriotism, strongly protect the Fatherland and justice," he shared.

For Cuba, according to him, it is a profound lesson about international brotherhood: “They endured an embargo for decades because of Vietnam. They helped us with their blood. Never forget that merit. That friendship is a priceless asset that the younger generation needs to cherish and continue.”

It is known that after 6 days of launching the program "65 years of Vietnam - Cuba friendship", the Central Committee of the Vietnam Red Cross Society has recorded 1.75 million contributions, with a total donation amount of over 344 billion VND (as of 3:30 p.m. on August 19, 2025). This result is nearly 5 times higher than the initial target of 65 billion VND. The activity calling for support for Cuba will continue until October 16, 2025.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chang-trai-dung-sau-y-tuong-thu-phi-thanh-vien-ung-ho-cuba-post1771343.tpo