The Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign 2023 has been launched in Da Nang since early June and revealed a new look. Notably, highlights of the campaign include free swimming lessons, encouraging the use of environmentally friendly products, and establishing ‘3 linkages" in volunteering activities.

Youth Union organization of Hoa Vang District donated 2,200 natural reed straws to local drinking establishments. Photo: HUYNH LE.

The Youth Union organization of the Da Nang University of Physical Education and Sports kicked off its Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign 2023 with opening a free swimming class for disadvantaged pupils across the city.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, the Deputy Secretary of the University’s Youth Union organisation, said that nearly 20 school pupils signed up for the first swimming course. Free swimming classes are open to primary and secondary school pupils who are living under difficult circumstances across the city. Attendees at these classes learn basis swimming skills that allow them feel confident and comfortable in the water. Included are techniques how to breathe while swimming, how to float in water, along with water safety skills to help them understand the risks and drowning first aid. These classes will take place in swimming pool of the University of Physical Education and Sports.

“This is a volunteer activity in line with the expertise of the youth of the University of Physical Education and Sports. In particular, we help attendees at free swimming classes to be aware of hidden drowning risks when swimming in open water, as well as hidden dangers in areas without barriers or caution and warning signs, plus water storage containers without covers. We offer swimming and water safety education to poor pupils during this summer in efforts to provide initiatives and resources to support them to be safe in, on and around water ", shared Ms. Bich Thuy.

Such a meaningful program for poor pupils has been implemented for many years by the Youth Union organization of the Da Nang University of Physical Education and Sports. In previous years, attendees at these classes were mainly students from Thai Phien and Thanh Khe senior high schools, plus orphans of Village of Hope. Hopefully, this year, more disadvantaged children can find it easy to access free swimming classes and enjoy benefits from this meaningful program as these classes have been introduced widely on social networking sites.

Meanwhile, the Youth Union organization of Hoa Vang District coordinated with the Centre for Supporting Green Development (GreenHub) to donate 22,000 natural reed straws to 11 drinking establishments.

Ms. Nguyen Giang Thuy, the Secretary of Hoa Vang District’s Youth Union organization, said this is the first time the District has donated a large volume of natural reed straws to beverage service providers, thereby, calling on youth union members, teenagers, children and local residents to play their part in protecting the environment, responding to climate change, and regularly using environmentally friendly products.

According to Ms. Giang Thuy, reed plants grow in the low land area, and they may be very invasive in many farming or natural environments. Reedbeds do not use chemicals so natural reed straws are safe for users. Besides, Hoa Vang District’s Youth Union organization encourages youth union members and young people to use natural reed straws and environmentally friendly products while using food and drinking services.

It is known that one of the highlights of the Summer Youth Volunteer Campaign 2023 launched by the Da Nang Youth Union is ‘three linkages’ between forces, communities, and localities. Da Nang Youth Union Secretary Nguyen Manh Dung affirmed that the above-mentioned activities are new features of this year’s campaign in line with the Resolution of the 12^th National Youth Union Congress in the 2022-2027 term.

Accordingly, this year’s summer youth volunteer activities have been deployed across the city in a rich and diverse manner since early June. Including Mua he xanh (Green Summer) volunteer campaign, Tiep suc mua thi (Assistance for candidates during the national high school graduation examination) programme, Hoa phuong do (Red Flamboyant) volunteer campaign, Ky nghi hong (Pink Vacation) volunteer campaign, Hanh quan xanh (Green March) volunteer campaign, and Gia sư ao xanh (blue-shirt tutors) programme, and international volunteer activities in Laos.

Furthermore, the Da Nang Youth Union supported the repair and construction of 10 new houses for disadvantaged households, as well as donated 25,000 trees to residents in Hoa Vang District’s rural communes. Moreover, heed was paid to giving gifts and providing livelihoods support for 272 young people who are the disadvantaged and the disabled, and the victims of Agent Orange, as well as giving gifts to 3,000 poor children, with a total cost of hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dongs.

Most notably, during this summer, Da Nang's youths will take part in setting up two book libraries for children in Hoa Vang and Lien Chieu districts, thereby promoting a reading culture among young people and local communities.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Dung, the Da Nang Youth Union also created its Zalo Official Account (Zalo OA), including one municipal-level channel named Da Nang’s youths, 22 district-level channels, 56 ward-level channels, and 22 communal level ones. These channels will be used for posting guidelines and policies of the national and municipal governments, plus activities of the Da Nang Youth Union in order to help the city’s young people find it easy to access these information and spread meaningful acts of kindness in our commutity.

Reporting by HUYNH LE – Translating by H.L