Kim Đồng

On September 23, 1997, Nông Văn Dèn (i.e. Kim Đồng) was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

Kim Đồng is the alias of Nông Văn Dèn (1929–February 15, 1943). He was a Nung boy who fought with the Vietnamese resistance against the French.

Kim Đồng has two older sisters, an older brother and a youngest sister. The eldest sister's name is Nông Thị Nhằm. She married a man in the same village named Lý Văn Kinh, who was called Kinh Xình, Kinh Xình's house was the place to meet and protect revolutionary cadres. In this house, on February 14, 1943, the key leader of the Châu Party Committee Hà Quảng had a meeting. Thanks to Kim Đồng's brave action, he escaped to the mountain behind the house. His second older sister, Nông Thị Lằng, also married to a man in the same village. His older brother, Nông Văn Tằng (alias Phục Quốc) was a member of the liberation army, he joined the revolution early fought and died in Chợ Đồn (Bắc Kạn). In order for Phục Quốc to have conditions for revolutionary activities, at the age of 12, Kim Đồng replaced him as a woodcutter, cutting trees and planting grass at Sóc Giang fort. Her youngest sister is Nông Thị Slấn (in Nùng language, Slấn means belief), a beautiful and hardworking girl. Once crossing a stream, she unfortunately slipped and fell, drowning.

Kim Đồng and his teammates did the task of communicating, escorting the Việt Minh and delivering secret letters. On February 15, 1943, French troops planned to round up to the guerrillas. Kim Đồng saw the French soldiers coming to the cadre's house, he diverted their attention to him so that his friends could help the officers withdraw safely. Kim Đồng ran across the stream, the French could not keep up so they opened fire on him. Kim Đồng got shot on the bank of Lenin stream (Cao Bằng) at 5am. He was just 14 years old. In the evening, Kim Đồng's friends and villagers took his body to be buried at Tèo Lài mountain.

He was the first leader of the National Salvation Teenagers and Children's Team of in Nà Mạ village (Vietnamese: Đội Thiếu niên nhi đồng cứu quốc làng Nà Mạ), established on May 15, 1941. This is also the first children's team in the country. When establishing the National Salvation Teenagers and Children's Team, Đức Thanh, the youth secretary who was in charge of the team, gave each person revolutionary names (or alias). Nông Văn Dèn, the leader was named Kim Đồng, Đồng refers to children (under 15 years old). Kim is gold, is new, is beautiful. In terms of semantics, Kim Đồng is a young, beautiful, bright teenager. The name Kim Đồng is taken from the tradition in Taoism (Laos). Kim Đồng (male) - Ngọc Nữ (female) are beautiful, intelligent, bright young men and women who follow the servants, serving the fairies (there may be a metaphor: Kim Đồng was met, served Tiên Ông (male fairy)- Uncle Hồ on Nục Én cave. Kim Đồng and other members were still young, but they all were very brave and courageous, always taking the lead in participating in revolutionary activities such as making contacts, transferring secret documents, and escorting revolutionary cadres, watching French spies and guarding secret meetings.

In 1939, 10-year-old, Nông Văn Dèn was already aiding the resistance by delivering secret letters to the local guerrillas, and helping revolutionary soldiers join hidden troops in remote parts of the mountainous province.

Kim Đồng was born Nông Văn Dèn in 1929 in Nà Mạ village. In Nùng language, "Dèn" means money. When Dèn was born, his parents must have expected him to have a good life and have a lot of money in the future. It is a wish when naming, but its main meaning is: This child is a beloved child, a precious child (like money).

Kim Đồng's father, from Na Ma village, was Nông Văn Ý. During a visit to his wife's hometown in Kép Ké village (Nà Sác), he died of unknown reason and his body was never found. Kim Đồng's mother's was Lân Thị Hò (1890 - 1972), a native of Kép Ké village. She was a hardworking woman, devoted to her husband and children, good at weaving and paper making, a member of the Women's National Salvation Association (Vietnamese: Hội Phụ Nữ Cứu Quốc). Her health was very weak, so since childhood, Kim Đồng had to do many adult things, which soon formed in Kim Đồng adult personalities such as: decisive, dynamic, not afraid of difficulties and brave.