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Volunteers help the locals build houses for poor people. Photo HY |
Eight volunteer groups have finished their monthly-prolonged works in disadvantaged areas in Binh Dinh. These volunteers left the locals with good impression.
Effective
The summer volunteer campaign has been carried out for nine years. This year saw various programs with students majoring in different subjects, meeting the demand of localities for development.
Each group included students coming from Binh Dinh-based universities and colleges. They not only taught children and worked with farmers but also offered medical treatment to the locals.
“Villagers are really happy when volunteers come with us annually,” said the village patriarch Dinh Trac in An Lao district. “They gave us advice and helped us do anything we need.”
When villagers trusted them, volunteers could easily mobilize all to carry out other works, such as making roads, building houses, or dredging canals.
During one month, volunteer groups were responsible for looking after a garden, repairing 79 houses, upgrading many roads, and carrying out other issues.
Volunteers also raise the people’s awareness of family planning, environment protection, and epidemic prevention, let alone training courses for Youth Union members at grass roots level and activities for children.
“The summer volunteer campaign proved its effectiveness, meeting the people’s demands for house construction, medical treatment, and technology transfer,” said deputy secretary of the province’s Youth Union, Ly Tiet Hanh.
“However, they still need much support from the local authorities so as to strengthen voluntary activities,” she added.
Grow-up
To be selected to join these volunteer groups, students had to make every effort in studying and participating in different activities.
“The campaign ended with a farewell party in which all drank ruou can (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes and closely held the others’ hands,” said Nguyen Thanh Dong, a volunteer of Binh Dinh College. “I will forever remember my friends’ hugs, children’s tears, and the locals’ letters and pictures.
Many volunteers who are now working everywhere said it was the volunteer campaign that helped them show their creativeness and confidence. It also helped them how to share with the others.
Nguyen An Tram, who is working at Quy Nhon University, was honored for her achievements in the 2006’s summer volunteer campaign. She said she became fully mature when doing voluntary work in disadvantaged areas. She now acquires more knowledge of the people’s life.
Not only students but Youth Union’s officials experienced many things thanks to the volunteer campaigns.
Practical issues and creativeness make the summer volunteer campaign more and more successful. It is also an opportunity for students to train themselves.
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