Countless warm roads in the western part of Nghe An province.

(Baonghean) – These days, the villages of the Mekong Delta are bustling with acts of charity, as people from all over the country turn their attention to this impoverished region to share warmth and alleviate some of the biting cold.

A bustling wave of volunteer footsteps

To date, there are no specific and accurate statistics, but it is estimated that hundreds of charitable groups from within and outside the province have headed to the western districts of Nghe An. Programs such as "Warm Winter in the West," "Warming Up the Winter," and "Warm Clothes for Schools"... have continuously appeared in the press and on social media.

It must be said that the socio-economic life of the western districts still faces many difficulties, and the ethnic minorities here still lack many necessities. Some families don't have enough money to buy warm clothes for their young children, forcing them to wear thin shirts to school, shivering from the cold wind that rushes into the classroom...

Teachers from Con Cuong High School donated warm blankets to students in Cam Lam commune (Con Cuong district). Photo: Ba Hau.

The presence and support of charitable groups have brought warm clothes and blankets to the people in the highlands, helping them, especially the children, to have a warm winter. Parents have been relieved of some expenses and worries when their children go to school. For poor students, besides warding off the cold, these gifts also help alleviate feelings of inferiority due to lack of resources.

Each benefactor and volunteer group has a different approach, such as cutting back on expenses, mobilizing friends and relatives, or calling on the entire community to join hands in sharing warmth and compassion. But they all share a common goal: to make the winter in the highlands less cold, a common humanitarian meaning, and a deep sense of human kindness...

The warmth of the Pù Mát mountain range

On the morning of December 24th, the Con Cuong High School Youth Union organized the "Warm Winter" program in Cam Lam commune. Cam Lam is one of the most remote and disadvantaged communes in Con Cuong district, where the lives of the people mainly depend on farming, and many children do not have enough warm clothes to wear to school.

To share in the difficulties faced by children in Cam Lam, the staff, teachers, and youth union members of Con Cuong High School mobilized and collected 30 new warm blankets and 80 bags of used clothes to donate to kindergarten, primary, and secondary school children in Cam Lan commune. They also donated 10 youth union shirts to the Cam village youth union branch, with a total value of nearly 20 million VND.

Teacher Nguyen Trong An - Secretary of the Youth Union of Con Cuong High School - presents a warm blanket to Luong Thi Minh Thu, a first-grade student at Cam Lam Primary School. Photo: Ba Hau

Luong Thi Minh Thu (Class 1A, Cam Lam Primary School) shared: “This year, I didn't have enough warm clothes and had to wear old ones from previous years, which were both too tight and torn. Today, I received warm clothes, and I would like to thank you all and promise to study harder to be worthy of everyone's care.”

Previously, on December 23, 2017, the people of Trung Chinh village (Yen Khe - Con Cuong) received 230 new warm jackets worth nearly 100 million VND from a delegation of officials from Nam Tu Liem district (Hanoi). This gift, donated by district officials and several businesses in the area, brought warmth to the villagers in the remote Pu Mat mountain region.

"The arrival of spring" from the seaside town.

Last night, December 23rd, over 200 members of the Youth Union from the Administrative, Public Service and Business Sector of Cua Lo Town traveled over 200 km to Chau Hoan commune (Quy Chau district) to organize the "Greeting the New Year - Springtime Melodies" program. Despite the drizzling rain and cold weather, thousands of people from all over the villages gathered at the commune center to enjoy the festivities and celebrate together.

A large number of people from Chau Hoan commune (Quy Chau district) enjoyed the "Welcome to the New Year - Spring Melody" program organized by the Youth Union of the Administrative, Public Service and Business Sector of Cua Lo town. Photo: Luong Nga

The "Welcome to the New Year - Spring Melodies" program is an annual activity of the Youth Union of the Administrative, Public Service and Business Sector of Cua Lo Town, aiming to promote cultural and artistic exchange, help union members better understand life, and share the difficulties with those in unfortunate circumstances and those facing hardship.

On this occasion, the group donated a drum set and 30 gift packages (worth 300,000 VND each) to policy beneficiary families and those in particularly difficult circumstances in Chau Hoan commune. Mr. Lo Dai Thang, from Nat Duoi village (Chau Hoan), shared: “Due to old age and poor health, I am unable to work, so my family's life is full of difficulties. Today, receiving this gift, I am truly happy and would like to express my gratitude to the charity group.”

The delegation from the Administrative, Public Service and Business Sector of Cua Lo Town presented gifts to policy beneficiary families and those in difficult circumstances in Chau Hoan commune (Quy Chau district). Photo: Luong Nga.

According to Mr. Nguyen Doan Minh Phuong, the head of the delegation, "Through this program, the youth union members have understood the difficulties and hardships of the people here. And we will continue to mobilize support and share with the people in the highlands."

Send joy to Yen Tinh

Also yesterday, the teachers of Hoa Binh Town Kindergarten (Tuong Duong District) sent 1,950 warm items of various kinds (including 300 new warm jackets) as a gift to the children of Yen Tinh Kindergarten. Yen Tinh is also a remote commune, about 50 km from the district center, where the lives of the people are still difficult and they do not have the means to provide good conditions for their children to attend school.

Here, during the cold season, many children come to school wearing only thin clothes. Through heartfelt conversations with colleagues in Yen Tinh, the teachers at Hoa Binh Town Kindergarten mobilized parents to donate warm clothing to help and share with underprivileged children. After a week of campaigning, the teachers collected the aforementioned amount of clothing and used their salaries to promptly transport it to the children in Yen Tinh.

Teachers from Hoa Binh Town Kindergarten (Tuong Duong District) crossed a stream to deliver warm clothes to the children at Yen Tinh Kindergarten. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Ms. Lo Thi Thuy, Deputy Principal of Hoa Binh Town Kindergarten, said: “Parents in the central area have better economic conditions, so their children are generally warm enough when they come to school. We truly feel sorry for the children in remote areas who are not warm enough when they come to school. Therefore, we launched a campaign for parents to support and share, and we are very happy that many people responded positively.”

Ms. Thuy added that, on this occasion, the school's teachers also donated money to give a gift to Lu Thi Kieu, a child in Huoi Pai village (Yen Tinh district) who is suffering from a serious illness.

Donating warm clothes to underprivileged children at Yen Tinh Kindergarten (Tuong Duong). Photo: Dinh Tuan

It can be said that, through various methods, each group, individual, and charitable organization, regardless of distance and obstacles, has brought practical gifts with profound humanitarian significance to the people of the mountainous region of Nghe An, helping to dispel the harsh winter cold and enabling children to confidently continue their education.

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