We arrived at alley 306 on Nguyen Van Tao Street (Hiep Phuoc commune) as the rhythmic sounds of shovels and mortar mixers echoed from Mr. Nhu Van Dung's house. Amidst the piles of bricks and stones, the faces of the students from the Faculty of Construction (Ho Chi Minh City Open University) were smeared with lime and mortar, yet they still wore radiant smiles. While nimbly pushing carts of sand, they chatted lively to ward off the intense heat. Occasionally, we heard Mr. Dung call out kindly, "Take a break, come in and have some water to refresh yourselves!" This house has been his family's home for nearly 20 years and has seriously deteriorated. Whenever the tide rises or it rains heavily, water floods into the house, disrupting daily life. As a near-poor household, repairing the house was once a luxury dream for him. But since January 15th, when the "Spring Volunteer" soldiers officially began repairs, that dream has become a reality.
Mr. Dung couldn't hide his joy and emotion because from now on he no longer has to worry about flooding, and his family can celebrate Tet in a spacious and comfortable home. Vo Hong Doan, one of the 15 soldiers who stayed at the construction site, confided: "The days spent enduring the scorching sun, learning each step, and striving to complete the tasks assigned by my comrades, helping Mr. Dung in some way, are the most memorable memories of my student life." Previously, the Hiep Phuoc Commune Youth Union mobilized resources and coordinated the implementation of the project with a total cost of over 100 million VND.
Leaving Hiep Phuoc, we headed back to the city center, to 5 Dinh Tien Hoang Street (Saigon Ward). On January 23rd and 24th, nearly 400 volunteers gathered here to participate in the "Sharing Spring - Abundant Tet" program. The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of sticky rice, mung beans, and the rich flavor of braised pork with eggs. Nguyen Phuong An, a student at the University of Transport (Ho Chi Minh City branch), was meticulously tying the strings around a banh tet (Vietnamese sticky rice cake). An shared: "Every Tet, I usually help my parents wrap banh tet. But this time, I'm very moved to be able to contribute a small part, sending my feelings through these cakes to people in difficult circumstances."
According to Mr. Vo Quoc Binh, Head of the Volunteer Connection Department (Ho Chi Minh City Youth Social Work Center), the program focuses on supporting lottery ticket vendors, children in charity classes, and those in dire circumstances. Each gift is not just material, but also represents the community's heartfelt support, ensuring that every citizen can celebrate a fulfilling Tet holiday.
At another location, the Tet holiday atmosphere at Drug Rehabilitation Center No. 01 (Xuan Thoi Son commune) is also spreading with unique emotions. The "Journey of Faith" program brought meaningful football matches, cultural exchanges, and career counseling. But perhaps the most touching moment was when a short film about the trainees' families was shown. Seeing the weary faces of their mothers and the expectant smiles of their fathers on the screen, many trainees couldn't hold back their tears. The presence of young volunteers here has erased all distances, affirming that "Spring of Compassion" always shares and welcomes even those who have made mistakes.
From home repairs, traditional cakes, and heartfelt gifts to accompanying activities in specific locations, this spirit of sharing continued to extend during the peak day of the campaign. On January 25th, the peak day of "Spring Sharing" within the framework of the 18th "Spring Volunteer" Campaign in 2026, organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union in coordination with the Vietnam Youth Union and the Vietnam Student Union of Ho Chi Minh City, took place simultaneously in many residential areas and schools throughout the city.
The journey of love continued to spread to the Thi Nghe Center for Disabled and Orphaned Children. Here, volunteer soldiers created a deeply moving "Spring Sharing - Connecting Love" event. 200 gifts were distributed, but the greatest value lay in the moments the volunteers spent playing, laughing, and comforting the children. Sharing her emotions, the center's director, Nguyen Ly Ngoc Thu, expressed that the children here have already suffered so much, lacking the warmth of family and battling illness year-round. "While families are celebrating together, these children have no home of their own to return to, only relying on each other." Therefore, the event was not just about material support, but also about warming their hearts, giving them a complete and loving childhood memory.
Passing through residential areas, public works projects, and even specific locations, this year's "Spring Volunteer" campaign continues to affirm the role of Ho Chi Minh City's youth in caring for people during Tet (Lunar New Year) through concrete, practical, and humane actions.
Peak day of the "Spring Sharing" campaign.
A new feature of this year's "Spring Volunteer Campaign" is that it is taking place in Ho Chi Minh City, covering a larger area and attracting hundreds of thousands of volunteers. The campaign will last until February 16th, focusing on caring for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, families of policy beneficiaries, meritorious individuals, disadvantaged households, vulnerable children, workers, and officers and soldiers of the armed forces.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/xuan-se-chia-tet-dong-day-post835273.html
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