Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission Nguyen Manh Cuong presents gifts to students at the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Primary School - Photo: DIEU QUI
Originating from Champasak and then Attapeu, the mixed teams of volunteer soldiers from many forces of the city named after Uncle Ho brought meaningful and valuable activities to the disadvantaged people of the neighboring country, while also playing a good role as ambassadors to foster the friendship between Vietnam and Laos, contributing to spreading Vietnamese culture.
Mr. NGO MINH HAI (Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union)
Volunteer Ambassadors
For the first time participating in summer volunteering in Laos, Truong Thao My (University of Architecture, Ho Chi Minh City) said she felt very proud and lucky to be there. Thao My and her friends painted murals, installed a playground for students at Kilomet 3 Primary School (Attapeu province), organized a statue-painting playground, and helped distribute medicine to local people, along with a number of other social welfare activities.
My said that when she met people from other districts, she went to give away friendship houses in remote villages. Seeing their eyes filled with tears as they looked at the volunteer soldiers with gratitude, her heart filled with indescribable joy. "When we finished the activity, some children were so regretful that they shed tears when saying goodbye to the volunteer soldiers," My said, adding that those emotions were like a spiritual motivation that helped her become stronger.
The young people from Ho Chi Minh City come to the neighboring country with nothing but the desire to contribute their efforts to bring practical projects to the people of Laos. In the opposite direction, My and her teammates hope to receive positive energy after each work, which also fosters friendship between the two countries.
Ms. Buakeo, a Vietnamese teacher at the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Primary School, said she was very happy to welcome the delegation from Ho Chi Minh City who also gave gifts of cakes, backpacks, and school supplies to the school's disadvantaged students. She also donated bookshelves and paint for classrooms.
Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union Ngo Minh Hai commented that the summer volunteer activities of Ho Chi Minh City youth in Laos have further strengthened the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. In a certain aspect, each volunteer soldier can be considered a young ambassador continuing to foster the solidarity between the two countries.
"Every action of each volunteer soldier, no matter how small, is introducing and spreading to the people of other countries the culture and sentiments of the Vietnamese people" - Mr. Hai shared.
Summer volunteers carefully check medicines before distributing them to people coming for medical examination in Attapeu province - Photo: QUYNH NHU
Friendly traffic, care for people's health
The 20-year milestone of volunteering in Laos reminds the program staff of the early days. The commander of volunteering activities in Laos in 2024, Truong Tan Nghiep, said that in the early days, medical examination and treatment, social security gifts, agricultural training, and crop transfer were all very rudimentary.
Over the years, the organization has become more organized, and volunteers have become more proactive. Some have volunteered in Laos not just once but three times each summer. Nghiep said that in order to determine the content and projects that need to be done, it is necessary to conduct a thorough pre-planning survey and survey the needs of the people.
Specifically, Mr. Nghiep said that in the past, they only sent experts to organize agricultural knowledge training, give seeds, and guide livestock and poultry treatment, but now they need support with agricultural machinery. "This year, we support motor systems to operate irrigation pumps and irrigate fields," Mr. Nghiep informed.
In response to the great need for lighting villages and hamlets with solar-powered lamps, a section of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Sanxay district (Attapeu province) has been lit up with 50 solar-powered lamps. This project, named "Lighting up the Vietnam-Laos Youth Friendship Road", is one of the highlights of the 20th anniversary of summer volunteering in Laos.
Along with that, free medical examinations and medicine distribution are another highlight in the series of volunteer activities of Ho Chi Minh City youth in Laos. Medical teams from Ho Chi Minh City have visited some remote villages where poor people do not have many opportunities to access and receive medical care. Many people honestly said that they have never seen a doctor for many reasons, so when they heard that there was a volunteer doctor from Ho Chi Minh City, they took the opportunity to come and examine them.
Doctors from many units joined hands to support and the medicine sources were all from social mobilization. This year, doctors from Ho Chi Minh City also brought ultrasound machines to the villages. In severe cases, with negative changes, notes were taken to coordinate with local medical facilities for better treatment.
Much has been done in 20 years
Many projects have left their mark on the youth of Ho Chi Minh City in Laos. These include giving gifts to people and overseas Vietnamese in difficult circumstances, donating school supplies to students, supporting experts in agricultural development and treating livestock and poultry diseases, and donating seeds.
There are also many medical examinations, free medicine distribution for people, support with medical equipment as well as giving away lab systems, computers, and teaching Vietnamese to Lao students preparing to study and research in Vietnam.
The works are still in good use in the two provinces of Attapeu and Champasak because every year, in addition to renewing, the volunteers also check and repair the works that have been done. And the special friendship volunteer journey will continue to strengthen the brotherhood between Vietnam and Laos.
Visit and give gifts to volunteer soldiers
The delegation led by Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission Nguyen Manh Cuong had a working trip to Laos from June 21 to 25. Also accompanying the delegation was Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union Ngo Minh Hai. The delegation visited, encouraged, and presented gifts to Ho Chi Minh City volunteers who are performing their duties in Laos during this year's volunteer summer.
The delegation also visited a number of units and schools in Laos, presenting gifts to students and disadvantaged people at the places they visited. On this occasion, the delegation attended the inauguration and handover of a number of volunteer projects to be implemented in the summer of 2024. At the same time, they attended the 20th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union organizing volunteer activities in the two provinces of Champasak and Attapeu.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tu-tinh-nguyen-cung-nhau-lan-toa-van-hoa-viet-20240625103330043.htm
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