Sept. 16, 2021
Our “Humans of Lazada” series takes a look at the professional and personal lives of the more than 8,000 people who work at Lazada. Click here for more stories from this series.
“The storm came on a morning when I had a lot of parcels to deliver. It was very sudden, the wind was extreme, and soon after, it rained heavily. Luckily, I had just delivered a parcel and was at a customer’s apartment building at that time so I was able to take shelter there. The wind was so strong and so loud that I did not realise that my motorbike had toppled over until I looked out and saw some parcels on the ground. I ran out to pick them up and tried to get my bike standing again. But the wind was so strong, it nearly blew me away! Other delivery riders ran out to help me, and residents on the upper floors also helped by directing us to items that had been blown a little further away so that we wouldn’t lose anything. What a day it was!
I had never thought I would be a delivery rider. Before the pandemic, my two brothers and I worked in the factories while my sister was a teacher. The fixed shifts at work made it difficult for me to take care of household matters. About six months ago, my father fell very ill, so I had to find a job with a more stable income but also more flexible working hours that would allow me to take care of him. That’s how I started working at Lazada Logistics.
A lot of people ask me if I’m afraid to deliver during the pandemic. Yes, of course, who is not scared? But I think love overcomes fear. Firstly, it’s my love for my family. When COVID-19 happened, my sister and brothers all lost their jobs. I became the sole breadwinner in my family of 10. So whether I’m tired or scared, I still choose to go to work. My family depends on me.
Secondly, it’s the love for our customers, who also depend on us. These include consumers who have to stay at home waiting for goods to be delivered and businesses who have gone online to try to survive. That is what motivates us as riders to try our best to deliver as many orders as possible, no matter rain or sun.
A day after that stormy morning, I woke up to see myself on a TikTok feed. A clip of me and the other riders in the rain trying to pick up the parcels and my bike was going viral with more than 600,000 views and lots of positive, encouraging and empathetic comments about my profession. It really touched me. It made me realise how much the community appreciates us. For me, that’s the best reward.”
Watch the TikTok clip of Dang Van Toan:
@yianntaoo Sự lương thiện trong xã hội vẫn luôn tồn tại ạ ❤️ trân trọng ##2021 ##mưa ##shipper ##lazada ##cáchly #ahamove ##fyp ##saigon ##vietnam ##chienthang ##hope
♬ Sài Gòn Cố Gắng Lên – Dee Trần
This profile was compiled by Linh Chi Nguyen from the Lazada PR team in Vietnam.