Students of Hoa Sen University recently organised a fundraising music night called "Moonlit Night”. — Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — The Mid-Autumn Festival for university students nowadays is not just about enjoying mooncakes and tea, but also involves humanitarian activities.

With a desire to bring joy on the Mid-Autumn Festival to little ones in shelters in HCM City, a group of students from the School of Tourism - Restaurant - Hotel Management at Hoa Sen University organised a fundraising music night called "Moonlit Night".

Anh Vũ, the head organiser, shared that during their visits to the shelters, they listened to the children talk about how their families could not provide for them, leading to their stay in the shelter. Some of the children, even as they grow up, cannot remember what their parents look like.

"Although they can't live with their families, these children still look forward to growing up so they can earn money to support their parents. The politeness and understanding shown by these children have inspired us to carry out fundraising activities to help them," Anh Vũ said.

Organising a fundraising music night is not an easy task for these inexperienced students. Most of them are unfamiliar with the various aspects of organising a music event, from sound and lighting to stage setup.

Anh Vũ added that they invited to the music night philanthropists who could better understand the circumstances of the sheltered children, thereby acting as a bridge to support them.

All the profits generated from the music night and other fundraising activities will be used to buy rice, instant noodles and school supplies, among other items. The remainder will be used to organise a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration at the shelter for the children.

Contributing to the music night, Đăng Khôi, a third-year student at Hoa Sen University, said, "when I received the invitation from the organisers, I agreed to participate immediately because singing is my passion. I am also very happy that my songs can bring joy to the little ones."

Bringing the Mid-Autumn Festival to remote regions

For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the Community Support Club of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the National University of HCM City brought the "Love-filled Mid-Autumn 2023" programme to Hoà Hội commune, Châu Thành district, Tây Ninh province.

Anh Thơ, the head organiser of the programme, said, "we still see many challenging living conditions not only among the children but also among the local residents in this area."

In addition to providing gifts, the club also mobilised resources to build a "Full Moonlight" youth project to illuminate some of the roads in the area.

According to Anh Thơ, the road leading to the commune is a dirt road and is very challenging to travel, especially during rainy weather. The road is narrow, has sharp turns, and lacks adequate lighting.

"The smiles and expressions of the children in this impoverished area constantly motivate us to come back and give even more. We hope that everyone can have a warm Mid-Autumn Festival," Anh Thơ expressed.

Meanwhile, "Collecting Stars - Lighting Dreams", organised by the volunteer club Đom Đóm Đêm which is affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the National University of HCM City, has been embraced by many people.

It takes place in Đắk Son 2 village, Bù Gia Mập district, Bình Phước province.

Apart from giving gifts and organising games for the children on Mid-Autumn night, the club launched a challenge to create "wishing stars" for its members.

Specifically, members would fold paper stars with written messages of love and best wishes for the children in Đắk Son 2.

Ngọc Lan, a club member, said, "this challenge is quite impressive because in addition to the usual fundraising activities, students write messages and wishes for the less fortunate children in Đắk Son 2."

Another club member, Hoài Phương, added, "although it's just a small message on a tiny piece of paper, it can contribute to giving the children strength and hope. At the same time, we want young people to experience the happiness of giving and sharing through this." — VNS