The Significance of the Spring Volunteer Journey

The traditional Lunar New Year is not only a time of transition between the old and new year, a time for family reunions, but also a special time for all levels and sectors, including the Youth Union, Student Association, and their members, to spread love and gratitude to families of policy beneficiaries and demonstrate a spirit of sharing with the community.

Youth union members, association members, and students participate in a reunion meal at the home of a Vietnamese Heroic Mother. Photo: Nga Son.

As part of this year's Spring Volunteer Journey, youth union members, association members, and students in the province brought the Tet holiday atmosphere to child patients receiving treatment at Dong Nai Children's Hospital, contributing to boosting the morale of the children so they can recover quickly and return to their families.

A small gift, conveying love.

Following a collision with a truck, Ngo Tran Phuong Tram (over 4 years old) had to be hospitalized for an extended period. Her mother, Ngo Thi Kim Thoa, said: Nearly nine months ago, she was driving her daughter when they collided with a truck. The accident caused Phuong Tram to suffer a traumatic brain injury. She and her husband took their daughter to the Dong Nai Children's Hospital for emergency treatment, where she has been receiving care until now.

Sharing about her family's situation, Ms. Kim Thoa confided: Her family of four lives in rented accommodation in Tam Hiep ward. Her husband works as a motorbike taxi driver. Before her daughter's accident and hospitalization, she and her eldest child, now 11 years old, sold lottery tickets. If it were just for daily living expenses, the money earned by the two of them and their eldest child would be enough to live on, but since Phuong Tram was hospitalized, she has had to stay at the hospital to take care of her daughter and can no longer sell lottery tickets as before. The family's living expenses and Phuong Tram's hospital bills have long exceeded the family's ability to cope. Given Ms. Thoa's family's circumstances, Dong Nai Children's Hospital has also provided assistance.

During this year's Spring Volunteer Journey, the Vietnam Student Association of the province and the Provincial Youth Union presented gifts to encourage and provide additional support to help Phuong Tram overcome difficulties during her treatment at the hospital. "For my family, any support at this time, big or small, is invaluable. It helps ease the financial burden on my husband and me, and is a source of encouragement for us to overcome difficulties and have more faith to continue persevering with our daughter's treatment," shared Ms. Thoa.

At Dong Nai Children's Hospital, cases of children requiring long-term treatment are not uncommon. Among them, many come from disadvantaged backgrounds. According to Ms. Nguyen Tran Phuong Ha, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union and Vice President of the Vietnam Student Association of the province: On this occasion, the Provincial Youth Union and the Provincial Student Association donated 100 gifts to children with difficult circumstances, and also provided 5 additional cash support packages to children undergoing long-term treatment who are also in need. Besides the meaning of encouragement and sharing, the activity of visiting and giving gifts to children is also a valuable practical experience for union members, association members, and students.

Participating in the activity for the first time, Nguyen Thi Kim Yen, a third-year student in the Economics Faculty of the Forestry University's branch in Dong Nai (in Trang Bom commune), was deeply moved. Kim Yen shared: "Seeing young patients receiving treatment at the hospital for years, even decades, makes me feel fortunate to have good health and to be able to study and live in comfortable conditions. This experience has helped me appreciate my current life more and learn to share with those in more difficult circumstances."

A family meal with a heroic Vietnamese mother.

This year's Spring Volunteer Journey is different and even more meaningful with the addition of a reunion meal with Heroic Vietnamese Mother Ho Thi Vang, residing in Tan Trieu ward.

Nguyen Thu Hang, a second-year student majoring in Public Relations at Lac Hong University (Tran Bien Ward), said: "This is the first time I've participated in the 'Reunion Meal with a Heroic Vietnamese Mother' activity. Therefore, I feel very excited and happy to be part of this meaningful event. Before the activity, I was also briefed on what to do. So, at 6 am, I traveled from my home in Phuoc Tan Ward to the Provincial Youth Union (Tran Bien Ward), about 15km, to join the group going to the home of Heroic Vietnamese Mother Ho Thi Vang. Upon arriving at the mother's house, the Youth Union members, association members, and students were divided into groups responsible for different tasks. With the task of general house cleaning, Ms. Hang, along with some other students, cleaned the altar of the martyrs and the residence of the Heroic Vietnamese Mother."

According to Ms. Thu Hang, participating in these activities made her feel the Lunar New Year approaching. Not only did it bring the festive atmosphere to the families of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, but it was also a profound expression of gratitude from the younger generation to the sacrifices of the heroic martyrs and the immense contributions of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers to the cause of national liberation and reunification. “I believe that today’s young generation, born and raised in peace, needs to remember and take practical actions to show gratitude to the previous generation. For students, striving to study, train, live decently, and showing care and help to those around them is the most practical way to express gratitude and responsibility towards the Fatherland,” Ms. Hang expressed.

Seeing the youth union members, association members, and students gathering to clean, decorate for Tet, and prepare the offering meal for the fallen soldiers, Heroic Vietnamese Mother Ho Thi Vang was deeply moved. She hopes that the younger generation will continue to uphold the traditions of their ancestors, maintain peace, and build a prosperous country.

With the desire to contribute a small effort to bring a warm and joyful Tet atmosphere to the community, especially in his local area, Nguyen Duy Phuong, a fourth-year student in the English Literature Department at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, registered to participate in the "Meal with Heroic Vietnamese Mothers" activity. Besides helping with cleaning, Phuong also cooked traditional Tet dishes to offer to fallen soldiers and shared a heartwarming meal with heroic Vietnamese mothers…

Duy Phuong said: He has participated in many volunteer activities, but this is the most meaningful one. He learned more about the sacrifices, the value of independence and freedom; he understood that the value of volunteering goes beyond simply sharing with the community, and also provides opportunities to connect, learn, and hone skills.

The meaningful activities in the program not only bring practical value to society but also contribute to nurturing the ideals of life, the sense of responsibility and dedication, and the character of each volunteer – this is the foundation for the spirit of volunteering to continue to spread.

Nga Son

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202601/y-nghia-hanh-trinh-xuan-tinh-nguyen-cc6041c/