Lieutenant General Le Thanh Son talks in an interview with VOV about how he has built charity houses for his comrades. (Photo: VOV)

After retiring in 2001, General Son visited his old comrades. Seeing that many were living in financial difficulty, Son and several other war veterans set up the Veterans Liaison Committee of Tay Do battalion.

The Committee mobilized support from enterprises, organizations, and philanthropists to build charity houses for disadvantaged war veterans. So far, more than 1,000 houses have been built at a cost of millions of dollars.

“We want all our comrades to have better lives. We will continue to build houses for them,” said Son.

General Son (white shirt) hands over the house to his comrade. (Photo: VOV)

Before building a house, General Son tours the prospective site, then mobilizes money. He even oversees the construction. Son says what he is doing is sharing his comrades who sacrificed and contributed to national independence.

Colonel Le Trong Nghia, a member of   the Committee, said: “General Son initiated the idea of building charity houses for his comrades. It embodies Vietnam’s tradition, social security policy, and State policies concerning war invalids and martyrs.”

Colonel Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Chairman of Can Tho city’s Veterans Association, said: “Whenever General Son learns of any comrade in financial difficulty, he comes and helps. Son does good deeds, and gives better lives to revolutionary contributors."