Over the past 2 months, a group of the disabled have been acted as volunteer litter pickers along Da Nang beaches every weekend morning. They are members of the Hoa Nhap Xanh (Green Integration) Group.

A group member picking up litter

Founded in early May, the Hoa Nhap Xanh Group now has a total of 15 members, including disabled and young people who have special love for the environment.

Mr Mai Huynh Quoc Thong, 31, the group’s leader, said among his group members are 6 disabled persons. Despite facing numerous difficulties during the travelling and talking, most of them are very active and enthusiastic in environmental cleanup.

Mr Thong remarked he intended to establish this group 2 years ago, but he did not receive any support from his friends and family members. Therefore, his idea was temporarily put aside.

Despite his severe disability, the group’s leader Mai Huynh Quoc Thong is pasionate for envrionmental protection activities.

In recent years, environmental pollution has reached alarming levels as beaches and popular attractions across the city have been filled with litter. Therefore, Mr Thong decided to establish a group of disabled people to join forces with the municipal authorities and local residents to keep the environment clean.

Since its establishment, the Hoa Nhap Xanh Group’s members have become volunteer litter pickers at the Man Thai and Tho Quang beaches in Son Tra District, and the Nguyen Tat Thanh beach in Thanh Khe District.

Also, the group has successfully organised an programme on raising public awareness about environmental protection at the East Sea Park. The event has attracted a great deal of attention from locals and visitors.

27-year-old Tran Quoc Trung, a disabled member of the group, proudly said “Being one of the group’s member, I want to join efforts with the local authorities and  other city dwellers to protect the environment".

Through his meaningful activity, Mr Trung wanted to convey a message that people with disabilities still can protect environment by their own ways, thereby appealing for local residents to conduct effective engagement more with protecting the environment.

The group’s members collecting trash

Another disabled member is 31-year-old Nguyen Anh Thin,  a native of Quang Nam Province. Although he works in the province’s Hoi An City, he tries his efforts to arrange his working schedule and travel over 40km to Da Nang to volunteer to pick up litter every weekend.

Apart from disabled members, the Hoa Nhap Xanh Group comprises young people who are willing to give a helping hand in protecting the environment. Ms Le Thi Phuong Lien, 30, is a typical person. On the weekend, Lien and her friends become more actively involved in collecting garbage.

After collecting rubbish, the group members will conduct waste classification at source. Any reusable bottles and cans will be recycled, whilst distorted and old ones will be sold to buy new gloves and hats for the group members.