TIỀN GIANG — Phan Thị Thảo Sương, Secretary of the Youth Union of Tân Phú Đông District, Tiền Giang Province, is known as a dynamic leader of youth union who has made practical contributions to the community.

Sương, 30, is admired by local people and is an outstanding example for young people to learn from.

She was awarded the 'Beautiful Youth' honour by the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Youth Union on October 15, on the occasion of the Việt Nam Youth Union's Traditional Day.

She was elected to Tân Phú Đông District Party Committee delegation to attend the XI Congress of the Tiền Giang Province Party Committee (2020 - 2025 period).

Sương was born and raised in Phú Tân Commune, the poorest area in Tân Phú Đông District, which has become seriously salinised in the early dry season this year.

The district has fallen into serious water shortages and both agricultural production and people's lives have been impacted.

Facing the situation, the local Youth Union, under the leadership of Sương, has worked with the local authorities to supply free freshwater tanks and donate money to poor households.

In the last dry season, she mobilised VNĐ414 million from donors to buy 2,000 water tanks for poor families.

She also mobilised the young union members to transport 1,034 cu.m of freshwater to serve 1,710 households in six island communes.

Early this year, programmes launched by the district's Youth Union mobilised 1,262 gifts worth VNĐ386 million to support underprivileged families and poor but talented students.

Local young people have also helped with house repairs.

Sương said over the last three years, the local youth union has co-ordinated with the health sector to implement examination and treatment for more than 2,000 poor people and run blood donation drives.

She was assigned to work with the Bank for Social Policies to help provide loans to 1,032 youth union members.

This was one of the important channels to assist young people in the island district to have investment capital to develop production and businesses and establish their career.

Beautiful lifestyle

Sương said it was young people's responsibility to help poor people and share difficulties with the community.

Chairman of the district People's Committee Bùi Thái Sơn said that climate change and natural disasters that regularly occurred in the district were also one of the reasons for poverty.

“Rural poverty reduction must also be associated with climate change response, natural disaster prevention and social security,” he said.

"It is necessary to have the co-operation of all sectors, especially the Youth Union," he added.

He praised Sương, saying she contributed to connecting the Youth Union and local community activities.

The local Youth Union members have so far planted 5,000 casuarina trees at beaches to break waves, prevent landslides and protect the coast.

“Community-oriented activities create the best and most favourable environment for young people to work, thereby educating and training young people to live a beautiful life," Sương said.

Sương practices what she preaches, said Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Nương, chairman of Tiền Giang Province’s Youth Union.

“Sương has brought the young people with many practical, rich and diversified activities for the community," he said. — VNS