The "Green-Shirted Tutors"
On two weekend mornings, the front yard of Ms. Le Ngoc Thanh Ngan's house (30 years old, residing in Dong Thanh commune, Ho Chi Minh City) becomes a familiar learning space for many children. From early morning, nearly 10 volunteers from the "Green Shirt Tutors" team are present, busily preparing tables, chairs, and learning materials. At exactly 9 a.m., the "special class" begins with nearly 20 students, children of young workers and laborers living in the No. 1 Youth Workers' Cultural Accommodation Area.
According to Ms. Ngan, during the summer, many children from the countryside come to the city to live with their parents and have a need for learning and recreation. Therefore, for many years, she has always lent her yard to volunteers to maintain the classes. "The children come to learn in large numbers, which is fun and effective, and the atmosphere in the house is also more lively. I think this is a very meaningful activity, so I am always ready to support it," Ms. Ngan said.
The tutors are not professional teachers but rather volunteer youth union members from Ho Chi Minh City. Some teach math, others help with reading comprehension, and still others assist with English. Each person has a specific role, but they all share the desire to help the children improve their knowledge and skills. Ms. Nguyen Hong Nga My, team leader of the "Green Shirt Tutors" team, shared: "Each child has a different personality, so the way we guide them is also different. The important thing is to create a friendly atmosphere so that the children don't feel pressured by learning."
The presence of the "Green Shirt Tutors" also helps many parents feel more at ease. Ms. Vo Thi Thuy Duong (32 years old, from Vinh Long province), a garment factory worker living in the dormitory, said that because she and her husband often work overtime, they have little time to supervise their children's studies. Therefore, the class has become a trusted place for the family to entrust their children's education. "I really appreciate the volunteers because they not only provide knowledge but also show dedicated care and encouragement to the children," Ms. Duong said.
In 2026, the "Green Shirt Tutor" program, implemented by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Workers Support Center (under the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural Center), will be carried out at 55 learning locations, expanding to many areas after administrative unit reorganization. Ms. Le Dieu Thanh Truc, a member of the Standing Committee of the "Green Shirt Tutor" program, said that in addition to reviewing cultural knowledge, the program will enhance topics on digital citizenship, AI applications in learning, cybersecurity, environmental protection, and life skills, helping students develop knowledge and skills relevant to modern society.
The program also coordinates the Green March volunteer campaign to disseminate skills in fire prevention and control, escape, accident and injury prevention, and self-protection in emergency situations.
Continuing the bond of friendship between Vietnam and Laos.
Not only present in residential areas and suburbs of Ho Chi Minh City, the green volunteer uniforms also accompany the city's youth to neighboring Laos, continuing to write a beautiful story of Vietnam-Laos friendship. This year, international summer volunteer activities are being implemented in four provinces: Attapeu, Champasak, Xekong, and Salavan, with 67 volunteers, including the Green Summer and Pink Holiday teams, and 11 doctors and nurses from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health .
The journey included many practical projects and activities such as: building a Vietnam-Laos friendship house, donating computer rooms, implementing solar-powered lighting systems, installing drinking water dispensers and RO water filters; providing medical examinations and treatment for 2,500 people; distributing 1,100 social welfare gifts; organizing playgrounds for children, painting classrooms, and many other community activities…
In Sanxay district, Attapeu province, hundreds of local people gathered early in the morning, waiting for their turn to be examined. Doctors and nurses measured blood pressure, provided health advice, distributed medicine, and gave instructions to each person. Every smile, handshake, and simple "thank you Vietnam" from the locals deeply moved the volunteer soldiers.
Participating in an international volunteer team for the first time, MSc-BSCKI Hoang Quoc Anh, Secretary of the Youth Union of the Ho Chi Minh City Orthopedic and Trauma Hospital, said that after 7 days of participating in the campaign, he clearly felt that the need for healthcare among people in localities in Laos is still very great; on average, each district has about 300-370 people coming for examinations, with some places reaching nearly 700 during peak periods.
The biggest challenges are the language barrier and the lack of adequate medical facilities, especially for specialties requiring examination rooms, electricity, ultrasound equipment, etc. However, the young doctors and medical staff still flexibly arrange procedures and utilize local resources to best serve the people. In some cases, patients only discover their health condition during examinations, making every piece of advice from the doctor even more meaningful.
According to Dr. Hoang Quoc Anh, the most memorable thing about his time volunteering in Laos during the summer was the spirit of solidarity within the volunteer group. When the number of people coming for examinations was overwhelming, the teams in charge of playgrounds, logistics, community activities, etc., were all ready to support the medical team. Some did small tasks, others took on larger ones; everyone pitched in to help with whatever work they had.
Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union Secretary Ngo Minh Hai affirmed that the spirit of volunteerism has become a beautiful tradition among the city's youth, a special training environment for young people to share, contribute, and grow. The summer volunteer campaign aims to implement projects and tasks based on the practical needs of local people; it's not about creating a mass movement, but about "real work, real products, real results." Each project after the campaign must leave a concrete value for the community, and each team leaving the area must leave a positive impression on the people.
Some key targets for the summer
Over 150,000 new trees were planted.
Enhance digital skills and reform administrative procedures for at least 1 million citizens.
Provide care for at least 500,000 disadvantaged people and children.
Organize 200 free swimming lessons or "water safety training" for children.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/theo-buoc-chan-tinh-nguyen-post858534.html
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