Vietnamese Family Shelter – Episode 150: A 10-year-old boy who has not seen his father for 7 years, surviving on meals of vegetables and finger-sized fish brings MC Dai Nghia to tears

Episode 150 of Vietnamese Family Shelter concluded with overwhelming emotions under the hosting of MC Dai Nghia. Two guest artists, singer Ngo Lan Huong and singer Nguyen Thai Hoc, joined hands to raise more than VND 100 million to support orphaned children.

One of the featured cases in Episode 150, the story of Truong Nhat Dinh (born 2015), an ethnic Thai child and a fifth-grade student at Chau Loc Primary School, Chau Loc Commune, Nghe An Province, deeply moved many viewers. Nhat Dinh currently lives with his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Lo Thi Hien (born 1971), and his father, Mr. Truong Van Minh (born 1993). His mother left when he was only 1-2 years old and has remained out of contact ever since.

Without a mother, with a seriously ill father living far away, Nhat Dinh’s only support is his grandmother in their small house.

Nhat Dinh’s father suffers from end-stage kidney failure and must undergo dialysis three times a week. Due to the long distance, difficult travel conditions, and fear of sudden complications, Mr. Minh often has to stay at the hospital during severe episodes. On the day of filming, he was still receiving treatment at the Nghe An Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center. According to the family, seven years have passed since Nhat Dinh last saw his father in person. Since his father’s condition worsened, the boy has only been able to hear his voice through phone calls to ease his longing.
Although dialysis costs are covered, the family still has to purchase dialysis filters at VND 400,000 per unit. Prolonged treatment has exhausted the family’s finances. Since Mr. Minh fell ill, all burdens have fallen on Mrs. Hien’s shoulders.
The family owns no farmland. Mrs. Hien works peeling acacia bark for hire, earning VND 210,000 per day. However, this is seasonal work, and with her declining health, the income is increasingly unstable.

Nhat Dinh’s downcast face at the studio created a heavy atmosphere – a child forced to endure too much pain far too early.

Life is full of deprivation. With a gravely ill father, Nhat Dinh’s daily meals consist mainly of rice and vegetables. He shared: “Sometimes I get to eat rice with fish or fish sauce – that’s the best meal for me. Grandma braises two small fish, only about two fingers long, but we have to eat very little to make it last the whole day. On other days, I go to the garden to dig up sweet potatoes to eat.” As a result, he suffers from severe malnutrition. His clothes and school supplies are all donated; he often has to wear used clothing. Nhat Dinh loves his grandmother deeply and wishes he could grow up quickly to work, earn money to treat his father’s illness, and take care of his grandmother.
The image of a 10-year-old boy growing up without maternal love, talking to his father through a small phone, along with his gentle words of concern for his father, left many heartbroken. Watching Nhat Dinh dig sweet potatoes from the garden to survive, with his frail body yet taking on many tasks to help his grandmother, MC Dai Nghia could not hold back his tears.
“Nhat Dinh is already 10 years old, but he looks like he’s only 6-7. He’s very thin, doesn’t eat properly, yet never complains because he worries about his grandmother’s hardship. Hearing him talk about meals with just a few tiny braised fish broke my heart,” the host shared. He also sent a message to Nhat Dinh’s mother, hoping she would reconsider and return to her child, so he would not have to endure further loss.

Singers Ngo Lan Huong and Nguyen Thai Hoc wholeheartedly took on the challenges, bringing meaningful rewards to the children.

Singer Ngo Lan Huong was deeply moved upon learning that Nhat Dinh had not seen his father for seven years. She expressed concern for Mr. Minh’s health as he continues battling severe kidney disease while living far from his child in extremely difficult circumstances.
Singer Nguyen Thai Hoc was left speechless by the boy’s lack of both material and emotional support. He deeply admired the devoted grandmother, who, despite her age, continues to work to support her seriously ill son and care for her young grandson. The singer, born in 2000, offered many words of encouragement and promised to give his all in the challenges to help secure prize money for Nhat Dinh and the other families.

First prize was awarded to Truong Nhat Dinh’s family.
Second prize went to Truong Khanh Duong’s family.
Third prize was claimed by Nguyen Van Anh’s family.

At the end of the challenges, Nguyen Van Anh’s family received third prize with VND 18 million. Truong Khanh Duong’s family won second prize with VND 24 million. The first prize belonged to Truong Nhat Dinh’s family, receiving a total of VND 60 million. In total, Hoa Sen Group awarded VND 102 million to the three families in this episode.
In addition, artists, benefactors, and local residents collectively donated more than VND 277 million to support the program’s featured families.
Vietnamese Family Shelter airs at 8:20 PM every Friday on HTV7. The program is produced by BEE COMM in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television, with the companionship of Hoa Sen Home Building Materials & Furniture Supermarket Chain (Hoa Sen Group) and Hoa Sen Plastic Pipes – Leading the Source of Happiness.

Hoa Sen Group