"Warm winter" crosses mountains to the borderlands.

Amidst the biting cold of the border region, as the Lunar New Year begins to be mentioned, vehicles silently climb the slopes carrying warm clothes, new notebooks, blankets, milk... as a way for people to send the spirit of the New Year to the highlands.

Students at the Ón village school, part of Tam Chung Primary School, happily received milk as part of the "Warm Winter in the High Mountains" program.

"Warm winter arrives in the high mountains."

The "Warm Winter in the Highlands" program, implemented by the Ngoc Lac Charity and Blood Donation Club in collaboration with benefactors and volunteers, chose to reach the most remote schools to deliver warm clothes, school supplies, notebooks, school bags, blankets, kitchen utensils, and milk to students in the mountainous areas.

The first group visited the Ón village school, part of Tam Chung Primary School in Tam Chung commune. Their first priority wasn't giving gifts, but cooking a meal for the children. A hot meal, complete with soup and meat – simple, but for many students in the highlands, it was a rare, complete meal amidst the bitter cold.

Leaving the Ón village school, the delegation went to the Lát village school, also part of Tam Chung Primary School, to give gifts and listen to the children's small stories. From worn-out thin clothes and shared blankets used for many seasons, to notebooks that need to be carefully preserved page by page. "In winter here, just having enough warm clothes so the children don't miss school because of the cold is already a blessing," confided Mr. Lê Xuân Viên, the principal of Tam Chung Primary School.

The journey extended to the Keo Huon, Cat, and Loc Ha schools in Nhi Son commune, and Na On and Kham 2 schools in Trung Ly commune. At each stop, warm jackets were given to the children, blankets were neatly spread in the corners of the classrooms, and milk was distributed directly to them. Seeing the children's eyes light up as they clutched their new schoolbags, the adults felt the winter in the highlands soften somewhat.

Behind the connection and rhythm of the journey is Ms. Pham Thanh Huyen, Head of the Ngoc Lac Volunteer and Blood Donation Club. But what many people remember most is the perseverance of the individuals who accompanied them. Among them is Ms. Do Nhat Kim Thi, Head of the Youth Union at Phu Dong Primary School, Binh Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Although she works and lives in Ho Chi Minh City, almost every year she arranges time to travel to Thanh Hoa with volunteer groups to the highlands to give gifts and Tet (Lunar New Year) presents to children in the remote villages of Trung Ly commune. It is expected that at the end of January 2026, the club will continue to organize the making of banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), give Tet gifts to children in the remote villages of Trung Ly commune, and give gifts to orphans and children with thalassemia in the former Ngoc Lac district.

The border is warming up.

This season, the mountain mist in Na Meo commune descends quickly. The cold of the border region is evident on every step of the schoolyard, on every thin layer of clothing worn by students leaving school late. Amidst this moment, a convoy of charitable vehicles from Thanh Hoa Petroleum and Gas Company Limited (PVOIL Thanh Hoa) and Vietnam Petroleum and Gas Transport Company Limited (PVOIL Trans) brought warm jackets to the villages. On this winter afternoon, 730 warm jackets were handed directly to students at Na Meo Primary School, Na Meo Secondary School, and Na Meo Kindergarten.

During the same trip, the delegation presented gifts and participated in sports and cultural exchanges with the Na Mèo International Border Gate Border Guard Station. These practical gifts and simple exchanges provided the officers and soldiers of the unit with added motivation to remain stationed and continue their patrols.

This isn't the first time PVOIL Thanh Hoa has visited Na Meo. For many years, before Tet (Lunar New Year), they've regularly made such trips to the mountains. Le Nhan Hong, Chairman of the Trade Union of Thanh Hoa Petroleum and Gas Company Limited, shared: "We only hope the children have warm clothes to wear to school, so the cold doesn't interrupt their studies. It's this simplicity that makes these trips feel meaningful, not just for show, but also close and sincere."

In the remote border regions, Tet (Lunar New Year) doesn't arrive with fireworks, but with journeys across the mountains, with warm coats fitting perfectly on children's shoulders. Small things, but deeply meaningful human connections...

Text and photos: Tang Thuy

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/dong-am-vuot-nui-len-bien-vien-275048.htm