For Mai Thi Kim Anh, the team leader, that journey began with a very simple "chance encounter." During her shifts, she often saw foreigners picking up trash on the streets and beaches of Da Nang.
The first time was curiosity, the second time was attention, and by the third time, the compelling urge made it impossible for her to ignore it any longer. A question echoed in her mind: why were foreigners willing to do this in Vietnam, while she – a resident – stood on the sidelines? From that moment, she turned back, joined them, and gradually became involved without even realizing it.
When she started the initiative, what kept Ms. Anh engaged wasn't just the work of picking up trash, but the positive spirit that radiated from each member. The enthusiasm, joy, and self-motivation of everyone made her realize that simply participating for herself wasn't enough. She needed to act more strongly, inspire more, and call on the community to join hands. Da Nang is a livable city, and as a livable city, its environment needs to be preserved to be green, clean, and beautiful.
Thus, from its humble beginnings with just a few core members, Trash Hero Da Nang gradually grew into an open, diverse community. Today, the group has over 200 members, including more than 100 foreigners living and working in Da Nang, along with local residents and tourists.
Each cleanup session may have varying numbers of participants depending on individual availability, but everyone who comes brings with them a spirit of volunteerism and responsibility towards the environment.
The group's working methods are very flexible. When they discover a "hot spot" of waste – whether it's a beach, a residential area, or a neglected street corner – Ms. Anh or the members will proactively propose solutions.
Information regarding location and time will be posted on the Trash Hero Da Nang page and widely shared among local volunteer groups and the expatriate community. Operating hours will also be adjusted seasonally: from 4 to 5 PM in winter, and from 5 to 6 PM in summer, ensuring both convenience and the well-being of participants.
One unique aspect that sets Trash Hero Da Nang apart is that the group doesn't accept sponsorships. Equipment for their activities, such as gloves, trash pickers, packaging, and uniforms, is provided by vegetarian restaurants like Loving Vegan and No Waste, or purchased voluntarily by the members themselves.
In addition, Trash Hero World also provides support and resources to help the group maintain its long-term operations. Transparency and a non-materialistic approach help the group stay true to its original goal: cleaning up the environment through concrete actions, not for personal gain.
Among the participants were many young faces. Truong My Diem, a 6th-grade student, followed her relatives to the weekend cleanup event, her excitement clearly visible on her face. Diem shared that she felt happy to be able to personally clean the streets and beaches and hoped that everyone would refrain from littering so that the city would always remain beautiful.
These innocent yet sincere thoughts are clear evidence that environmental awareness can be sown at a very young age, simply through concrete actions.
The group also regularly welcomes new members joining for the first time, including Mateus from Brazil. He said he learned about Trash Hero Da Nang quite by chance, when he searched on Google for information about litter cleanup activities in Da Nang.
“This is my first time participating, but it feels very special. Everyone is friendly, working seriously yet having fun. I think if everyone were willing to dedicate a little time like this, the environment would change a lot,” Mateus said, while his hands busily gathered trash on the beach.
Among the many cleanup sessions that have taken place, some memories stand out for the members. One such day was a stormy day with strong sea winds and harsh weather, but the group still decided to go out and help.
One person even drove all the way from Hoi An to Da Nang just to be there. Everyone was soaking wet and exhausted, but no one complained. On the contrary, joy was evident on everyone's faces, because everyone felt the meaning of their actions, however small, yet full of value.
For Ms. Mai Thi Kim Anh, picking up trash is just the beginning. Her and the other members' bigger aspiration is to organize more awareness-raising activities in schools and residential areas in the future, connecting with local authorities to share and spread the message of environmental protection to children, students, and the general public.
According to her, the most important thing is not how much trash is collected, but how to prevent littering from occurring in the consciousness of each individual.
Trash Hero Da Nang is therefore not just a volunteer group, but a symbol of solidarity, community responsibility, and love for the environment.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/chung-tay-lam-sach-duong-pho-da-nang-3326750.html
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