Volunteering in the Land of a Million Elephants
Phonsavan, Phukout, Phaxay… these names, once seemingly unfamiliar, have now become well-known to the volunteer students of Nghe An. One month may not be a very long time, but it contained countless meaningful tasks and youth projects aimed at fostering Vietnamese-Lao friendship.
Thanh Quynh - Quang Huy30/08/2024
Phonsavan, Phukout, Phaxay… these names, once seemingly unfamiliar, have now become familiar to the volunteer students of Nghe An. One month may not be a long time, but it encompassed countless meaningful youth projects and activities to foster friendship between Vietnam and Laos. Returning to Nghe An after completing their mission, the youth of the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh have every right to be proud of their journey filled with love in the Land of a Million Elephants.
Spreading the love for the Vietnamese language.
“Nat Da will always remember you. This is a bag that Nat Da's mother made herself. I hope you will accept it so that when you return to Nghe An, you will always have Nat Da's image in your heart!” - 12-year-old Nat Da, a student from Phukout district, Xieng Khouang province, said with heartfelt emotion as she said goodbye to her “teacher,” Nguyen Thi Hoai Thuong, a volunteer student from Vinh University.
After nearly a month of activities in Laos, Hoai Thuong and 24 volunteer students from Nghe An had to say goodbye to the land and people of Xieng Khouang. But the memories will remain forever…
Holding the pretty red bag she brought back from Laos, Nguyen Hoai Thuong shared that after a period of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the volunteer journey of Vinh University's youth in Laos resumed in July with many meaningful activities.
The Vinh University International Volunteer Team this time consists of 25 members, including 5 staff members, 6 Lao student volunteers, and 14 university students. The team will operate in 3 locations (Phonsavan city, Phukout district and Phaxay district, Xieng Khouang province), Lao People's Democratic Republic from July 7, 2024 to August 5, 2024.
The first volunteer area where the team operated was Phonsavanh city in Xieng Khouang province, located more than 300 km from Vinh city and home to a large Vietnamese expatriate community. Although it is a city, the people in the suburban areas still face many difficulties in their lives.
“Despite the long journey, receiving warm handshakes and hearing the heartwarming song 'Vietnam-Laos Love' played by the Lao Youth Union to welcome the volunteer students from Nghe An made all the fatigue disappear,” shared Chich Van Khut, a student from class 62A1, Mathematics Education, Vinh University of Education, and Deputy Team Leader of the International Volunteer Team in Xieng Khouang, Vinh University.
Khut is a Khmu boy from Phia Khoang village, Bao Nam commune, Ky Son district. He is one of the pioneers leading student volunteer activities in Laos very effectively. Khut said that the main tasks of the group are teaching Vietnamese to Lao students and trainees; organizing social welfare activities, and learning about the culture of Laos.
Initially, around 300 students and trainees were expected to participate in the Vietnamese language course. However, upon hearing that student volunteers were coming to teach Vietnamese, over 500 people registered, including more than 200 local officials, police officers, soldiers, and teachers. Therefore, we cleverly arranged a scientific timetable to suit the situation.
Chich Van Khut - Deputy Team Leader of the International Volunteer Team in Xieng Khouang - Vinh University
Although July is the rainy season in Laos, the Lao students are very eager to learn and often arrive at class very early. During the day they attend classes, and at night many Lao students come to the team's accommodation to review their lessons and study further. Their eagerness to learn has further motivated these young people participating in international volunteer activities for the first time.
The lessons cover basic sentence patterns, including greetings, introductions, names, hometowns, and vocabulary on a variety of topics. The students incorporated many activities and games into their lectures to make learning Vietnamese more engaging for the students and help them absorb the material more quickly.
Luong Thi Van Anh, a fourth-year student in the 62nd cohort of the Social Work Faculty at Vinh University, was assigned to teach Vietnamese to officials at the Lao Department of Finance and the Lao Department of Transport.
Being of Thai ethnicity, Van Anh understands the Lao language. Therefore, she can easily communicate in Vietnamese with officials and people in Laos.
Besides teaching Vietnamese to officials at various departments, Van Anh also supports Vietnamese language instruction for students from elementary to junior high school. Van Anh shared: "Everyone loves learning Vietnamese. In the departments and agencies, officials learn it so they can work or travel in Vietnam later. Students learn Vietnamese so they can study abroad or travel with their families. Language has opened new doors, connecting people and the culture of Vietnam to our neighbor Laos."
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Messengers of friendship
Besides teaching Vietnamese, students in the international volunteer team of Vinh University also carry out many meaningful activities such as planting Champa flowers – the national flower of Laos – along the streets of Phonsavan city.
In addition, this force also collaborated with the youth of Laos to clean and beautify the grounds of martyrs' cemeteries in Xieng Khouang province; organized incense offerings at the shrines of Vietnamese heroes who sacrificed their lives on the Laotian front; and participated in Vietnamese-Laotian cultural exchange activities. And there are many other practical activities and programs that the student volunteer team has shared and supported with children and the elderly in the areas where they are stationed.
Letters from Lao students to their "teachers" in the student volunteer team of Vinh University. Photo: Thanh Quynh.
As someone who accompanied the students on their volunteer journey, Ms. Doan Minh Trang - Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of Vinh University - shared: When she brought the group of students back to hand them over to the District Youth Union, they were welcomed very warmly and thoughtfully.
However, due to the difficult conditions in the volunteer areas, the students' living and resting places were extremely inadequate. There were no fans in the hot sun, and seeing the kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms lacking in every respect brought tears to my eyes. I thought the students might not be able to overcome these difficulties, but unexpectedly, they surpassed the expectations of their teachers.
In such cramped conditions, the children had to fend for themselves, sharing everything from blankets to personal belongings. However, it was precisely in these difficult circumstances that their spirit of solidarity and sharing became even more evident.
Ms. Doan Minh Trang - Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of Vinh University
During that time, the joyful stories shared during simple meals, the evenings spent together recounting village tales—these precious moments helped the children overcome challenges and gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of volunteerism. They also received much love and support from students, parents, and officials in Laos.
On the day of farewell, Comrade Phetsamone Davongsone – Secretary of the Xieng Khouang Provincial Youth Union – said that it had been 7 years since the province had last welcomed volunteer students from Nghe An back to their country. Nearly a month of activities, through many meaningful tasks, had contributed to strengthening the bond between the youth of the two localities and educating the younger generation about the close friendship between the two countries.
Although the one-month journey wasn't long, it left an indelible mark on the hearts of the people, officials, and youth of the two provinces. After this meaningful trip, each student vowed to continuously strive in their studies and training to further strengthen the friendly relations between the Vietnamese and Lao peoples, and they are determined to return to Xieng Khouang and the beloved country of Laos in future summers!