Tet of love comes to border region

Granting scholarships, Lunar New Year (Tet) gifts, organizing folk game stalls, Zero-dong food stalls, wrapping tet cakes (Vietnamese cylindrical sticky rice cakes) for disadvantaged households... are activities of the Border Spring - Tet of love journey, which was recently organized by the Youth Union, Associations, Teams, union members, association members, and students in Dak O commune - one of the 8 border communes of Dong Nai province.

Provincial Party Committee member, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Dak O commune Phung Hiep Quoc and Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union Nguyen Tran Phuong Ha present gifts to disadvantaged households. Photo: Nga Son

These activities demonstrate the sharing, companionship, and connection between the youth of Dong Nai and the disadvantaged people, children, and adolescents in the border region, contributing to a more complete and warm spring in the homeland's frontier.

Spreading love through every action

According to Nguyen Tran Phuong Ha, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Students’ Association of the province, and Chairwoman of the Provincial Young Pioneer Association, to organize the Border Spring - Tet of love journey, the Provincial Youth Union, Associations, and Young Pioneer Associations mobilized resources and granted 20 scholarships to students who overcome difficulties and excel in their studies; and presented 50 gifts to disadvantaged children. Also during the program, the Party Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and the Youth Union of Dak O Commune mobilized and presented an additional 50 gifts to disadvantaged people and households in the commune.

In addition, the Vietnamese Students’ Association of the province and the Provincial Youth Union organized for youth union members, association members, and youth to join local people in wrapping tet cakes to present to disadvantaged households in Dak O commune. Nguyen Dinh Tien, a third-year student in the Automotive Engineering Department, Dong Nai Technology University, said: This is the first time he participated in wrapping tet cakes to give to disadvantaged people in the border region. This tet cake is not only wrapped with sticky rice, beans, and meat but also with the love and sharing of the people, union members, association members, and students for those in difficult circumstances. "Although I couldn't wait until the cake was fully cooked to hand it directly to the disadvantaged households, imagining the joyful faces of the people when they receive the cake, I feel very happy that I have contributed a small part to bring Tet closer to those who are still in need," Tien expressed.

In addition to the Border Spring - Tet of love journey, the Provincial Youth Union also planned to organize the Border Spring program in 2026. Besides the provincial level implementation of the youth project "Border bamboo wall" and "Lighting up the border road," the Provincial Youth Union directed its affiliated grassroots organizations to carry out activities to care for the people and children in the border areas during Tet.

Within the framework of the Border Spring - Tet of love journey, the Provincial Youth Union and the Provincial Students’ Association organized folk games and a zero-dong food stall for children. Vu Thi Bao Ngoc, a student of class 5.1 at Dak O Primary School, said she participated in the folk game stall. After winning, she received a food voucher. With this voucher, she could choose a meal or a drink, which are students' favorite items, at the zero-dong food stall. Being able to play and enjoy her favorite food and drinks, she felt that the atmosphere of the traditional Tet was very close.

The Border Spring - Tet of love journey became even more meaningful when the youth union members, association members, and students visited the Dak O Border Guard Station. Nguyen Anh Thu, a third-year student in the Economics Department, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Dong Nai branch campus, shared: "Here, I was informed by the officers and soldiers of the border guard station about Vietnam's border, border markers, and the duties of border guard officers and soldiers... This helped me deeply understand sovereignty; the meaning of border markers; and the silent contributions of border guard officers and soldiers. Thereby, I feel I need to take on more responsibility and actively participate in activities that contribute to protecting border sovereignty."

Contributing to giving Tet care to people in border areas

Hoang Cu, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Dak O commune, said: Dak O is a border commune with a high percentage of ethnic minorities. The percentage of difficult households and poor households in the commune is still quite high compared to other localities throughout the province. Therefore, the activities of the "Spring on the border - Loving Tet" journey organized by the Vietnamese Students’ Association of the province, the Provincial Youth Union, and the Provincial Children's Council before the Lunar New Year (the Year of the Horse) 2026 have great significance.

Youth Union members, association members, and students participate in wrapping tet cakes with local people to give to disadvantaged households in Dak O commune. Photo: Nga Son

According to Hoang Cu, the scholarships and gifts for disadvantaged children not only carry material value but also contain the affection, care, and sharing of the Youth Union, Association, Children's Council, Youth Union members, association members, and students for the people of Dak O commune. On this occasion, the Party Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and the Youth Union of Dak O commune mobilized and presented 50 gifts to disadvantaged people. Hopefully, the children and households will receive these gifts and consider them a motivation to strive in life.

After receiving gifts from the delegates and returning to her seat, Dieu Thi Thuy Kieu, a student of class 2.6 at Dak O Primary School (Dak O commune), could not hide her curiosity and peeked into the gift bag to see what was inside. After a few seconds, Thuy Kieu excitedly said: The gift bag contained candies, sausages, soft drinks, as well as a school bag, notebooks, and school supplies... She will save the school bag, notebooks, and school supplies for gradual use during the school year, and she will give the soft drinks and candies to her grandparents to save for Tet; when her parents return from working far away, the whole family will enjoy them together.

This year, at the age of 86, Vi Thi Phuong, residing in Hamlet 7, Dak O commune, has yet to enjoy a peaceful old age surrounded by her children and grandchildren. According to Phuong's sharing, her son passed away early, and her daughter-in-law left, leaving her with two grandchildren when they were still in kindergarten. This year, one grandchild started working, and the other is in 11th grade at a boarding school. She is old and no longer able to work, so her current livelihood depends on a few acres of cashew trees, monthly allowances, and the care of the community. Life is difficult, and when Tet comes, her family does not have the means to buy anything significant, mainly just a full meal and a chicken for Tet offerings.

When asked about her feelings about receiving early Tet gifts, Phuong could not hide her joy and emotion at the attention of all levels, sectors, and philanthropists. Phuong confided: "For me, celebrating Tet is not just a material gift but also a source of spiritual encouragement for me and my grandchildren to have more faith and overcome difficulties."

The gifts given not only contribute to bringing a more fulfilling Tet to the people in the border region but also help spread love, the spirit of sharing, and the responsibility of the community towards the sacred borderland of the Fatherland.

By Nga Son – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha