From small hamlets to cyberspace: A “digital youth” force is forming in An Giang

In the evenings at the “one-stop shop” in An Bien commune (An Giang), people no longer have to fumble around carrying stacks of paper documents. They can simply open the VNeID application or the National Public Service Portal and look up and submit their documents with the support of local youth union members.

From An Bien's story, we can see that digital transformation is entering life through small but persistent changes and the force that is silently keeping that pace is the youth.

Youth, supporter becomes "digital nucleus"

Immediately after the administrative unit merger, An Bien Commune Union assigned union members to work permanently at the Public Administration Service Center. "At first, we had to guide people from how to open the application to entering each information field, but now people are very familiar with it," Mr. Tran Gia Bao, member of the Commune Union Executive Committee, recalled.

An Bien Commune Union officials guide people to register judicial procedures on the National Public Service Portal .

An Bien's approach does not stop at on-site support. After the file processing process stabilized, the commune organized training for all the youth union secretaries so that each person could become a "technology support point" right in the hamlet. Those patient training sessions helped many elderly people get acquainted with electronic identification accounts for the first time, and know how to submit land records by phone instead of going back and forth many times.

Many young people have boldly stepped out of the administrative story to play an inspirational role. Do Van Toan, Secretary of the Youth Union of Hamlet 15, owns a YouTube channel on personal skills and AI applications, reaching 80,000 views and becoming a technological support for many people in the hamlet.

In the near future, Toan plans to film a video introducing his hometown's specialties to help people get on e-commerce platforms. "There are many great traditional crafts that no one knows about. If we do good marketing, our hometown products can go far," Toan shared.

The story of a frog breed and a very… farmer approach to digital transformation

Three years ago, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Vinh (Kinh 1B hamlet) left his job to return to his hometown with a few hundred frogs. Up to now, he owns 24 cages, exporting about 80,000 - 100,000 frog seeds and more than 4,000 frog meat each month. But the special thing is the way Vinh approaches the market: all through social networks.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Vinh shares the secret to keeping commercial frogs healthy with probiotic products.

"I answer any questions people ask on livestream. If anyone needs specific instructions, I record a separate clip," Vinh said. On TikTok, the account "Vinh raises frogs" has up to 130,000 likes. Each of his videos is concise and practical, from feeding techniques to disease treatment - easy to understand even for beginners.

Vinh's approach is the clearest proof that digital transformation does not necessarily start with expensive equipment. What matters is a connected mindset and the ability to leverage digital platforms to expand output.

Not only in An Bien, digital transformation is becoming the "main axis" in the activities of many Youth Union chapters in An Giang .

Online meeting software, online reports, electronic forms, digital signatures, etc. have been widely used. Union member management has shifted from paper records to centralized management using digital data, synchronized throughout the province. Training courses on online branding, multi-channel business, Fintech, and digital startups are held continuously. Competitions on innovation and application of science and technology have become a "stage" for young ideas.

The project "QR code for cashless payment at the traditional market" of the My Thoi Ward Youth Union does not cost much but creates a big effect: traders are instructed to make electronic payments, consumers have more cashless options. More than 240 creative ideas from union members have been submitted to the Central Youth Union's "Creative Idea Bank". These are small steps but are linked to practical needs - an important criterion in digital transformation at the grassroots level.

Modernizing the Youth Union: from database to creative space

According to Secretary of An Giang Provincial Youth Union Phan Duy Bang, to form a true digital youth force, the Youth Union will deploy six key groups of tasks. Notably, they are: Building a "Digital Youth Union Organization" with digitized member data, smart management processes, and online activities suitable to the characteristics of each place; Developing creative spaces, technology labs, and community learning centers for young people to access AI, programming, digital design, and creative startups; Connecting technology expert mentors to accompany youth groups with projects. Promoting social criticism of young people, especially on issues such as online public services, administrative reform, and local digital transformation policies.

"The digital transformation of the Union is not only for the convenience of staff. The biggest goal is to create a generation of proactive young people who master technology and know how to spread that value to the community," Mr. Bang affirmed.

From An Bien's story, we can visualize a broader picture: digital transformation in rural areas is taking place not through large projects, but through young individuals - those who self-study, self-do and spread skills.

Young people help people submit applications online and guide them to install VNeID. They livestream technical advice to support each other in business. They film videos promoting specialties and putting OCOP products on e-commerce platforms. They build YouTube and TikTok channels to share knowledge. And most importantly, they bring technological confidence to the community./.

Center for Science and Technology Communication

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/tu-nhung-ap-nho-den-khong-giant-mang-luc-luong-thanh-nien-so-dang-hinh-thanh-giang-197251129180029469.htm