Born in 1995, Nhat’s work has earned him several national and provincial honors, including a 2024 Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister and the 2023 Ly Tu Trong Award.
After graduating with a degree in Political Education from Quy Nhon University in 2019, Nhat became Secretary of the Youth Union in Hamlet 9. By late 2022, he was elected both Village Head and Youth Union Secretary, and in early 2025, he continued in the role of Village Head.
Despite his age, he has consistently placed community trust and responsibility at the center of his work, mobilizing youth and residents to participate in cultural preservation, rural development and public security initiatives.
*Among your contributions, cultural preservation stands out. Which initiatives are you most proud of?
- I was born in a place rich in cultural traditions tied to the old Binh Dinh region, home to tuong, bai choi, ba trao and traditional martial arts. Seeing some values fade, especially ba trao and Binh Dinh martial arts, I felt responsible for helping preserve them.
In 2022, with support from the Party Cell and residents of Hamlet 9, I revived the traditional ba trao rowing team, which had disappeared for more than 20 years.
I also founded a Traditional Martial Arts Club to give young people a healthy training environment, and created a traditional boat racing team with nearly 30 members.
*Maintaining these clubs must be challenging, yet the results are clear. How did you achieve this?
- I was fortunate to train under Master Thanh Huy of the Thanh So - Phu My school and later Master Pham Dinh Khiem in Tuy Phuoc. In 2019, with their encouragement, I established the commune’s first traditional martial arts club. It has since trained more than 500 young people and become a key force in cultural and sports events.
For the ba trao team, I worked with village elders and neighboring communities to research performance techniques, costumes and props. The team officially returned in June 2022 and performed at the Whale Worship Festival. It now has 15 members and won third prize at the first Provincial Youth Ba Trao Rowing Festival in 2023.
The traditional boat racing team, established in 2023, trains regularly and has achieved district and provincial awards, including first place at the 2025 Provincial Coastal Cultural Sports Festival.
* Hamlet 9 has also improved its infrastructure. How have you mobilized residents for these projects?
- When I became village head, I worried about my limited experience. But thanks to earlier youth work, I already had the community’s trust. This made mobilization much easier.
Since 2022, residents have contributed hundreds of millions of dong (approx. US$4,000–US$12,000) to build a 400-meter decorative road, a youth-built welcome gate at the fishing port, more than 1 km of electrical lines and a new village gate, helping meet new rural development criteria.
People also actively support public security efforts and comply with regulations on preventing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Nine households have voluntarily dismantled boats that no longer meet operational standards.
*You have also focused on young people, particularly children in difficult situations. What drives this work?
-Since my time as Youth Union Secretary, I have worked to improve children’s lives through summer activities, Mid-Autumn events and swimming lessons. I also trained with children in lion dancing and performed in surrounding villages to raise funds for patients at the Phu My Medical Center.
Since 2021, I have supported Nguyen Duc Nghia from Hamlet 9 by helping with school paperwork and mobilizing gifts from benefactors. He continues to achieve excellent academic results.
In martial arts training, I have waived or reduced fees for 90 of the 250 students from poor or near-poor households, ensuring they can participate.
*With strong community trust, what do you believe has enabled your achievements?
- Serving as both Youth Union Secretary and Village Head from 2022 to 2024 created favorable conditions for mobilizing people. As Youth Union Secretary, I could reach young people easily; as village head, I interacted with all households and understood their needs.
But above all, I approach every project with sincerity. Whether organizing youth activities, teaching martial arts, restoring ba trao, or supporting village development, everything begins with genuine passion and a commitment to community wellbeing.