Seven-year-old Nguyen Anh Nhan has become an unlikely poster boy for the electricity-saving cause.The young boy, from Ha Noi's Hai Ba Trung District, recently took centre stage at a ward meeting to talk about how to save power effectively and prevent waste.
Nhan explained to the curious crowd about the lessons that his parents have taught him since he was two-years old.
"My mother tells us to turn off the lights when go out and make sure that any electrical equipment, such as boilers and ventilation fans, is also switched off," Nhan explained. "My father said that it's not only to save electricity but also to make sure our equipment, such as the microwave, can be used durably."
Nhan said that old electrical equipment should be replaced if it uses much more power and creates more waste than modern versions.
This one of many good habits installed in him by his father and he is now keen to pass them on himself to anyone who will listen.
It was this dedication and desire to make a difference that led to him being invited to speak to the people of his community in Quynh Mai Ward. His audience listened attentively as he told them about the merits of not overloading the refrigerator, setting it to a reasonable temperature and always turning off the air conditioning at least 15 minutes before leaving the building.
"My father told us to dry our clothes in the sun instead of using a tumble dryer and making sure we don't overload the capacity of the washing machine. Its little things like this that make a difference. If people are more aware they can save money for themselves and power for the country," he told them.
Even at such a tender age, Nhan has already demonstrated an aptitude for public speaking. He engaged with his audience by using anecdotes, including one about the time he and his three year-old brother Quan visited their grandmother's house.
"We went to see her on a very hot day. She turned on both her air-conditioners so that we could play with each other and the adults could talk in the other room.
"When it was time to say good-bye, my mother told my brother to go downstairs. However, he refused to leave because the air conditioners and lights were still on. He cried 'turn them off, turn them off,' and he only went downstairs when our mother did what he said. My grandmother was shocked but impressed about Quan's dedication to power saving!"
Spreading the word
Nhan said that he also learned about power saving at school, thanks to an educational campaign run by the Ha Noi branch of Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN).
The organisation's Bui Thi Trang said the division aims to spread practical knowledge about the issue in all of the capital's 505 primary schools.
"All primary schools are interested in our programme," she said, adding that regular education on the issue would help improve awareness amongst the youth.
"It's also our long-term goal to save power while the Government introduced policies to increase the country's energy resources."
Efforts to spread the word in schools have been more effective than door-to-door campaigns in communities.
Tran Tien Dung, an EVN worker from Long Bien District, said he led a group of three people around local houses, knocking on doors and spreading energy-saving advice.
"Sometimes we had to wait as long as 10 minutes for a reply. Many homeowners or their nannies opened the door but then refused to take our pamphlets. Some of them shouted bad words at us and told us to leave, saying that they didn't want to be lectured on how to save power because they paid for it and can use it as they wish," Dung said.
He even revealed that his team had been physically attacked when once visiting a street facing an imminent power cut.
Campaigners on social networking sites have met with an equally negative response. Dung, though, remains defiant. "We have to carry on the work because it's one of our main tasks is to save energy. It is essential to the development of our nation."
By Lê My
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