Youth cherishes dream of donating 180,000 notebooks to poor kids in Vietnam 18-year-old Tran Viet Duong poses with his bike which he rides during his charity trips. Courtersy of Tran Viet Duong An 18-year-old man has been working hard to realize his dream of cycling across Vietnam to hand out 180,000 notebooks to needy children. Tran Viet Duong has been passionate about riding his bicycle across the country since he was in the 11th grade and joined a group of cycling enthusiasts online. With a difficult childhood, Duong has special feelings for disadvantaged rural kids and been active in charitable activities. As soon as he turned 18, the young man came up with an idea of raising and giving away 180,000 notebooks to poor kids across the country. Duong’s idea was enthusiastically embraced by his friends, teachers, and even strangers. However, his parents strongly objected to his plan, as he decided to postpone taking entrance exams to gain admission to university for one year. “My career success can wait for me for one year but the kids’ joy can’t wait for even one day. The notebooks aren’t anything regarding monetary value, but they mean a lot with everyone’s love sealed in them and will spur the kids on in their studies,” Duong shared. Initially, there were times when he wanted to give up on his project, as he was faced with numerous difficulties regarding weather, terrain, accommodation, and budget. He even had to spend nights beneath bridges or stayed with kind-hearted locals. For the past two months, Duong has handed out some 2,000 books to kids in remote areas, a humble number compared to his target of 180,000. “Though I’m still far from reaching my target, I’ll never give up. The kids’ beaming smiles upon receiving my gifts just keep me going on,” the young man added. Tuoi tre news