Couple Spends 20 Years Collecting Medicinal Herbs for the Needy
Starting in 2003, Nam Phan and Doi have spent their mornings searching for medicinal herbs in the gardens and rice fields of Cai Rang District. They cut the herbs into small pieces, dry them, and then distribute them for free to local herbalists who distribute them to the community. Before their retirement, the couple raised ducks for a living. Now, their goal is to ensure that everyone in the community has access to a healthy life, regardless of their financial situation. Doi said, “He just laughs and refuses when people try to pay him for the herbs,” as she cleaned licorice in a river near their house. Finding the herbs is a difficult task. Nam Phan and Doi often row their boat for dozens of kilometers to find important herbs like polyscias fruticosa and licorice. “Thanks to my good health, sound mind, and a little luck, I am able to find herbs wherever I go. I feel really happy when people take my medicine and become healthier,” said Nam Phan. Nam Phan learned how to identify m...