A member of the Trung An Commune Youth Union helps a student button up a shirt from the 'dream house'. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Thúy Hằng

VĨNH LONG — Located in a corner of the Trung An Commune Cultural Centre in Vũng Liêm District, the "dream house" is a small room that looks like a mini neatly arranged supermarket.

To ease the difficulties of local children by providing them with enough clothes, toys, and learning tools, the Trung An Commune Youth Union members worked together to set up the dream house.

The house, founded one year ago, connects benefactors with disadvantaged children, bringing meaningful gifts that help them get an education.

Shoes, toys, hats, clothes, and books are classified into different shelves for children to choose from. 

The dream house has new and old things, but all of them are neatly arranged by young people.

The dream house is open twice a week for its 'special guests' - children with difficult circumstances in the commune.

Children are delighted to see new notebooks, blackboards, crayons and clothes when they enter the room.

Trịnh Gia Phước, a student of the Trung An Junior Secondary School, said, "I have chosen many gifts. I was helped to find some new, well-fitting shirts. I'm glad because I could not buy much at the beginning of the school year. This is encouragement for me to strive in my studies."

Trần Thị Chúc went to the house to choose a shirt and sandals for her daughter.

She is an informal worker with an unstable income.

Every new school year, school fees and funds for clothes, bags and sandals burden her family.

Chúc said the house is a significant help.

Trương Thị Gia Hân, Chúc's daughter, said: "Receiving gifts here, I'm thrilled. Thank you for these meaningful things."

Joint efforts

The dream house was started by 13 Trung An Commune Youth Union members.

They realised while on working trips that local children face many difficulties, so they founded the house to support them.

Some even used their own money to stock the shelves in the house. 

A part of the project since its beginning, Huỳnh Nhật Cường often comes here to arrange items.

He also goes to the sponsors' houses to bring back things for the children.

"All of us try to maintain the house. We hope to make a small contribution to help the children continue their dreams of studying," said Cường.

Nguyễn Thị Trúc Hà, secretary of the Trung An Commune Youth Union, said the model was not only meaningful to the children but is also an opportunity for local young people to express their enthusiasm.

In the future, the youth union plans to organise traditional games at the house to make it more attractive to the children.

Hà said that the youth union would also call for sponsors to give scholarships to poor children.

They hope to expand the model to help more and more children. — VNS