Volunteering on every “front”

The young generation is not only the heir to the nation’s legacy but also its future stewards, playing a vital role in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. With a deep sense of responsibility, they have been, and continue to be, active contributors to the development of their homeland and the country.

Volunteer students from Eastern University of Technology clean the road before carrying out the “Lighting up the Youth Road” project in Xuan Hoa commune. Photo: Provided by the unit

In addition to their efforts in studying and improving their knowledge and skills to contribute to building the country in the future, young people also take the lead in volunteering, taking on challenging and new tasks, and reaching remote, distant, and border areas to support local communities and disadvantaged residents.

Ready to go to challenging places

This year marks the second time Huynh Thanh Nha, a third-year student at the Faculty of Science and Health, Eastern University of Technology, has taken part in the Green Summer Volunteer Campaign organized by the university’s Youth Union and Student Association.

Nha said that during the Green Summer Volunteer Campaign last year, he had the opportunity to visit Con Dao (formerly part of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province), a sacred land of the Fatherland. This year, he and his fellow volunteers are serving in Xuan Hoa (Dong Nai Province). For him, each destination brings interesting experiences and life lessons.

As of mid-August 2025, the support teams for operating the two-tier local government model had assisted more than 136,000 people and businesses in carrying out administrative procedures at commune and ward public administrative service centers. 

During half a month at the “front” in Xuan Hoa Commune, Nha and 24 fellow volunteers from the university carried out many meaningful activities for the locality and the people. Among them was the “Lighting up the Youth Road” project, which used solar energy and was implemented in Hamlet 5, Xuan Hoa Commune, with a total budget of 50 million VND.

According to Nha, after receiving instructions on how to install solar-powered lights, he and his fellow volunteers assembled and secured the lamp posts themselves. For students without an electrical background like him, it was a fairly new experience. However, thanks to their willingness to learn, explore, and research, the work went smoothly. Watching each lamp post gradually go up, bringing light as night fell and making travel safer and more convenient for residents, brought a sense of happiness to everyone who had contributed to the project.

Participating in volunteer activities has brought me many beautiful memories, making my student life more meaningful.

HUYNH THANH NHA, Third-year student, Faculty of Science and Health, Eastern University of Technology

Nguyen Van Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union and Vice President of the Student Association at Eastern University of Technology, shared that besides the "Lighting Up the Youth Road" project, the university’s Green Summer volunteer team in Xuan Hoa Commune also participated in supporting the operation of the two-tier local government model, cleaning up the environment, visiting and giving gifts to veterans, offering incense at the Martyrs’ Temple in Rung La Base, and organizing summer activities for children.

“Through these activities, we hope to make a small contribution to the development of the local community while also creating opportunities for students of Eastern University of Technology to explore new places and demonstrate their responsibility to the nation,” Tuan expressed.

Sharing the same thought, this summer, the Youth Union and Student Association of Lac Hong University brought their Green Summer volunteers to Tan An Commune, Dong Nai Province.

Truong Le Bao Trinh, Secretary of Lac Hong University's Youth Union, shared: Although Tan An is not classified as a remote commune, it still faces many challenges. Here, our Green Summer volunteer team implemented a variety of projects tailored to the local needs and our capacity, such as supporting the operation of the two-tier local government model, repainting and renovating children's playgrounds, and providing free English lessons to children at the two Tan An Kindergarten campuses.

In addition to activities and movements from schools in the province, many young people have also formed volunteer groups to support the community.

As the leader of the volunteer group Loving Journey, Phan Thi Xuan Lieu, a resident of Tran Bien Ward, Dong Nai Province, has had opportunities to visit disadvantaged areas both within and outside the province, such as Dak Lak and Lam Dong. Lieu said that after each trip, witnessing the hardships and deprivations faced by people and children in remote areas has motivated her to plan more volunteer trips to new locations.

In late July 2025, Lieu was one of the volunteers supporting the operation of the two-tier local government model in Dak Nhau Commune, Dong Nai Province. Shortly after completing the program there, she plans to organize a charitable program in Dak Nhau as a way to show gratitude and share with the residents and children still facing many difficulties in this region.

Ready to take on new and difficult tasks

Since the beginning of 2025, the Dong Nai Provincial Youth Federation has been widely and synchronously implementing the Digital Literacy Campaign across all levels of the organization in order to popularize necessary digital knowledge and skills to the people, based on the directives of the Vietnam Youth Federation Central Committee. Starting in early March, each grassroots unit in the province established at least one digital literacy team suited to the actual conditions in the locality.

Since their formation, these teams have focused on disseminating basic knowledge of information technology, guiding residents in using digital devices, accessing the internet, and utilizing software and social media platforms. They also help people shop on reputable e-commerce sites, make cashless payments, and use applications that support production and business.  The teams also assign their members to be present daily at the administrative procedure settlement areas in communes and wards to assist and guide people when handling administrative procedures. Through these efforts, team members also engage in outreach to raise public awareness and provide guidance on enhancing digital literacy and skills.

Building on the effectiveness of this movement, from July 1, when the nationwide two-tier local government model was officially launched, 100% of commune- and ward-level Youth Unions in Dong Nai deployed volunteer teams to support two-tier local governments at the commune and ward public administration service centers. Some university and college Youth Unions have also included the task of supporting two-tier local governments as part of the Green Summer Volunteer Campaign.

During this year’s campaign, Pham Anh Hao, a second-year student at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Lac Hong University (Tran Bien Ward), was assigned to assist the two-tier local government model at the Tan An Commune Administrative Service Center.

Hao shared that this was a fairly new field for him, so on his first day at the Tan An Commune Public Administrative Service Center, he received detailed instructions from the civil servants. From the second day onward, he was already able to guide people through simple procedures, submit online applications, and assist elderly residents with paperwork.

Sharing about the process of supporting the two-tier government model in Dak Nhau Commune, a border area of the province, Phan Thi Xuan Lieu said: In addition to assisting citizens at the commune’s administrative service center, she and other volunteers helped local authorities generate QR codes for common administrative procedures, produced video clips to instruct people on scanning codes and completing administrative processes, and demonstrated how to use electronic identification applications... to help people to carry out simple administrative procedures themselves. Though small, these efforts made a significant contribution to ensuring the smooth operation of the two-tier government model. They also affirmed the role of Youth Union members and young people in addressing real-life issues.

By: Nga Son
Translated by: Dang Huyen - Minho