More than 350,000 young people and members of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union are working as volunteers in the 2020 Mùa Hè Xanh (Green Summer), which began last weekend in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Giang

HCM CITY — More than 350,000 young people and members of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union are taking part in the 2020 Mùa Hè Xanh (Green Summer), which began on Sunday in HCM City. 

The annual event is one of a number of summer activities and programmes launched by the union. Its kick-off ceremony on Sunday on Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in District 1 attracted 3,000 volunteers. 

“Young volunteers will have more opportunities to help others through the campaign,” said the union’s secretary Phan Thị Thanh Hương. 

Volunteers this year are working in 13 provinces of the Mekong River Delta and Central Highlands regions. Thổ Chu Island of Kiên Giang Province is also included.

In HCM City, they are working in the rural districts of Hóc Môn, Bình Chánh, Cần Giờ, Nhà Bè and Củ Chi, focusing on industrial and processing zones. 

The volunteers have worked to clean and upgrade canals, alleys, roads and irrigation systems. Free health check-ups and medicine to poor residents, children and women are also provided. 

They have also participated in cultural and community activities to promote environmental protection, and prevent and fight child abuse and violations of laws.

“We will provide training courses on advanced techniques in agriculture, forestry and fisheries production for local farmers. After working, we will organise cultural, art and sports activities to entertain locals, particularly children,” said Trần TrungTính, a second-year student at HCM City University of Technology, who has volunteered to work in Sóc Trăng Province. 

Tính and his peers will help local people build or upgrade charity houses, bridges and roads, and clean water systems. 

Last year, the campaign’s volunteers helped build 50 charity houses for the poor, repaired home electrical wiring for 500 households, and created 100 playgrounds for children.

They also opened training classes on social skills in self-defence for emergencies, sexual abuse prevention, and rescue, fighting and preventing fires for more than 15,000 teenagers and children. Around 5,000 people were also taught IT and foreign languages.  VNS