The Touching Story of Female Soldiers of the Vietnamese Peacekeeping Force in Africa

There are many untold stories of the female soldiers of the Vietnam peace force in Africa. Their skills are a great benefit for those across the continenent.

April 23, 2022 | 08:02

The Vietnamese female soldiers of the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in the Republic of South Sudan and Central Africa. Photo: Bao Phap Luat

On April 20, many touching stories of female soldiers of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force in Africa were shared at the "Hearts for Peace" ceremony hosted by The Vietnam Women's Museum in collaboration with the "Soldier's Heart" Club and the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department.

In the ceremony, many artifacts from distinguished soldiers of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, including 5 female soldiers who have directly participated in the work of the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in the Republic of South Sudan and Central Africa.

President of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Phuong Nga,(left) and Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga (right) at the ceremony. Photo: Vietnam Women's Museum

This is a rechargeable lamp given to Major Nguyen My Hanh by the late Lieutenant Colonel Do Anh. Photo: Bao Phap Luat

"The rechargeable lamp and the homecoming luggage" is the story of Major Nguyen My Hanh. Her luggage on her return from Africa held personal items such as army clothes, shoes, hats, raincoats...

But they meant so much more to Hanh than just objects. They are special because they remind her of the dear teammate who passed away while on a mission in Central Africa.

It was a rechargeable lamp given to her by the late Lieutenant Colonel Do Anh.

In the nature of the base where there are frequent power outages, this lamp was given from Anh to Hanh provide lighting so that she can fulfill her task in the dark.

It was brought back home with Hanh, bearing the memories of the journey in a foreign land with her dear comrade, and will forever become a priceless sacred memento, symbolizing the spirit and enthusiasm of Uncle Ho's top soldiers.

For Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Lien, one of her dearest items in her luggages was a sewing machine that she used to sew free masks for all staff of the Mission Headquarters and the people in the capital city of Bangui, the Central African Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thi Lien sewed a lot of masks to give away from this sewing machine. Photo: Bao Phap Luat

Lien's action demonstrates the timely initiative of the Vietnamese female soldiers, as well as the desire to join hands in preventing the outbreak of epidemics in Africa. The ingenuity of Vietnamese women is once again promoted and flexibly applied

Vietnamese women have always expressed their desire for peace and are an important link in contributing to the independence of the nation.

In peacetime, Vietnamese women continue to show their voices, roles and missions to join hands to contribute to the common peace of the nation and the world, and they have become female soldiers of the force that protects the country and the world. Vietnamese peace in Africa.

Each woman in Vietnam's peacekeeping force in Africa can take on different tasks, but they all have something in common. It is the will, the steel spirit that has been tested and tempered over the years, the ingenuity and wisdom, the smile after hours of hard work.

The soldiers often feel homesick being far from home, while the danger that is always lurking when working in the most difficult and deprived environments.Photo: Bao Phap Luat

On the shoulders of "blue beret" women are personal items, work documents, anniversary gifts of family members, or especially traditional costumes to wear on important occasions. And when they returned, that backpack was filled with simple gifts of affection and love that the local people and the colleagues in the host countries offered as their way to say "Thank you".

At the ceremony, about 273 documents and artifacts, including 58 artifacts, 1 video clip and 214 photos from 5 female soldiers who participated in the work of the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in the Republic of South Sudan and Central Africa was awarded the Vietnam Women's Museum.

Each item represented memories from personal stories about the tireless journey of working for peace of the Vietnamese female soldiers. Photo: Vietnam Women's Museum

In particular, within the framework of the program, the Vietnam Women's Museum collaborated with the Handmade Trade Organization to guide the soldiers of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department to come to the Field 2 hospital in South Sudan.

in April 2022, making art paper products so that when they come to South Sudan, they can teach people to do sales to increase their income as well as make souvenir products for them.

At the ceremony, the blue beret soldiers practice making art paper products so that when they come to South Sudan, they can teach people to make souvenir products. Photo: Bao Phap Luat

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