Raising public awareness about waste management

Project staff and students participate in collecting recyclable waste, responding to the Campaign "Raising public awareness on waste management".

One of the typical activities is the campaign "Raising public awareness of waste management", which took place at the end of March at Dinh Hoa Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities and Kim Phuong Primary School (Dinh Hoa). The campaign was organized by the Vietnam Red Cross Society in collaboration with the Thai Nguyen Provincial Red Cross Society, within the framework of the "Research on waste management in humanitarian activities" project (WORM project) funded by Horizon Europe.

Participating in the campaign, more than 400 students and teachers participated in many activities, such as: Planting trees, picking up trash around the school campus, drawing contests, designing environmental models, collecting trash to exchange for gifts, and communicating environmental activities on social media platforms. In addition, the students also listened to lecturers from Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry instruct them on how to classify, reduce, and treat waste scientifically and sustainably.

Thai Anh Thu, a student of class 6A3, excitedly shared: "We have learned about environmental protection in textbooks before, but this is the first time we have participated in so many practical activities. After the program, I will sort trash at home and call on everyone around me to do the same."

Teacher Nguyen Thuy Giang, Vice Principal of Dinh Hoa Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, said: "The school has 348 boarding students, so keeping the environment clean is a top priority. Through the campaign, students not only understand better the impact of waste but also form good habits, contributing to environmental protection from the smallest actions."

Students collect recyclable waste, responding to the Campaign "Raising public awareness of waste management".

Thai Nguyen is the economic, cultural, educational and medical center of the Northern midland and mountainous region and is also one of the localities that has been greatly affected by natural disasters in recent years. Therefore, the amount of normal household waste is already large, combined with the amount of waste from humanitarian support activities after natural disasters, requiring a sustainable management solution. The WORM project was implemented to solve this problem, aiming to reduce environmental pollution and protect public health.

Mr. Nguyen Vinh Hoa, Deputy Head of External Affairs and Development Department, Vietnam Red Cross Society, Director of WORM project said: The project is organized in 3 countries, representing 3 different levels of development. The project is of research and development nature, orienting governments and organizations operating in the humanitarian field towards a sustainable future.

We hope that through the series of activities of the Project organized at the two schools above, safe waste treatment methods will be widely applied, while attracting young people and social organizations to participate in environmental protection work. From there, the Thai Nguyen community will become a model of awareness, knowledge and ability to spread the message of proper waste management, promote behavioral change in the community, contributing to building a sustainable future for Vietnam. - Mr. Nguyen Vinh Hoa

Students of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry participate in initiatives on waste management and circular agriculture.

In addition to the WORM Project, in recent times, the province has also had many programs related to environmental protection in schools, such as the Project: "Enhancing the capacity of youth and Red Cross volunteers on community-based resilience in Vietnam", sponsored by the Korean Red Cross Society from the support of Samsung Group, implemented in 6 high schools in Pho Yen, Dai Tu and Phu Binh towns.

In addition, the project to promote circular agriculture, towards sustainable rural development, adapting to climate change funded by the Australian Government is also being implemented at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry; cultural exchange programs and environmental protection awareness education organized annually by the Vietnam-Korea Cultural Exchange Center (KCCC) and the CheonAn International Youth Volunteer Group (Korea) at Tan Thai Primary School, (Dai Tu)...

Proper waste management is not only the responsibility of the authorities but also the responsibility of the whole society. The Law on Environmental Protection 2020 stipulates that from January 1, 2025, waste classification at source will become mandatory. This is an opportunity for every citizen, student, and university student to change their habits, contribute to building a green, sustainable future, and protecting public health.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202504/nang-cao-nhan-thuc-cong-dong-ve-quan-ly-rac-thai-a5f10d7/