“In the war-torn country, children sometimes had to stay at home and could not go to school every day; therefore, they were short of knowledge. We, Vietnamese officers, organised small classes to teach the disadvantaged children after our working hours and on weekends,” said Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc Son.

Class was held at a corner of the playground. (Source: baophapluat.vn)

Joining the U.N. peacekeeping force is not only the responsibility but also a great honour for each Vietnamese officer. Apart from their duties, the officers also involve in social activities in support of local people. One of such soldiers is Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc Son who devoted time to teach many children in Central African Republic.

At a class of Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc Son and Central African children, the Vietnamese teacher is patiently teaching in English, sometimes in French, or even with some vague words that he learnt from the locals.

“That was an exceptional class, since it was held at a corner of the playground. Sometimes, we studied in the garden when I was growing the vegetables, while taking an eye on how they studied,”said Lieut. Col officer of U.N. Peacekeeping Force Le Ngoc Son.

For the U.N. Peace keeping force, the most important mission is to protect local people from disputes. Therefore, Son’s work as a teacher was an exception.

Son said his fellow officers were so surprised when he said he was teaching local children. The number of children he has taught were up to 150, therefore his colleagues started calling him “teacher” or even “professor”.

Returning home after completing one year mission in the Central African Republic, Son’s luggage is nothing much but the gifts and letters that the little local children presented him.

Son told that a kid once told him that he adored Son and then let out a stream of French. As he had no knowledge of French, so the kid wrote them down on a piece of paper. He still keeps the paper until now, he added.

“On vous aime beaucoup parce que vous prennez tous votre temp pour nous enseigner la, mathematique,” (We love you a lot because you spent all your time to teach us math) said the piece of paper a kid wrote to Son.

As a father of two little children, Son often tells his kids of those peers in one of the most difficult countries but are passionate for learning.

Son said that as an U.N. Peacekeeping officer, he is not allowed to give local people food or money. However, teaching is something he can help them with. "That is also how we keep peace," he said./.

VNF/VNA