Creativity in fundraising activities at all levels of the Youth Union in Nghe An

Previously, the budget of the grassroots Youth Union was always limited while activities were organized frequently, affecting the quality of Youth Union activities as well as making it difficult to gather young people. Overcoming these difficulties, the Nghi Thinh Commune Youth Union (Nghi Loc) proposed to the local Party Committee and authorities to take advantage of abandoned land, borrow land for cultivation to raise funds for Youth Union activities and youth movements. Accordingly, the Commune Youth Union mobilized 45 Youth Union members to "magically" turn the vacant land into a lush peanut field.

Nghi Thinh Commune Youth Union's model of borrowing land to raise funds, growing peanuts on 1,500m2. Photo: Phuong Thuy

To initially have capital to develop the peanut field, the Commune Youth Union directed 15 Youth Union branches to mobilize and promote internal resources from cadres, union members, and youth; some contributed fertilizer, some contributed money, some contributed peanut seeds... With 1,500m2 of peanut land carefully cared for by the Youth Union members and following the correct procedures, after only 3 months, the peanut field yielded about 500kg of harvest, deducting all expenses, earning from 5 - 10 million VND.

Comrade Hoang Van Tu - Secretary of Nghi Thinh Commune Youth Union said: "Although the amount is not much, thanks to this fund, the Commune Youth Union has been more proactive in organizing activities such as visiting and giving gifts to poor students, families of war invalids and sick soldiers; organizing entertainment activities to connect the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance among youth union members. In the coming time, the Commune Youth Union will promote creative fundraising models to carry out more practical work."

"Charitable porridge pot" program of Nghi Thinh Commune Youth Union (Nghi Loc). Photo: PT

Thanks to the effective and widespread implementation of the model, up to now, Nghi Loc district has 7 commune and town unions and 5 youth unions of affiliated agencies that have been facilitated by local authorities and agencies to implement the model of "borrowing land to raise funds".

Typically, the Nghi Hung Commune Youth Union (Nghi Loc) organized the harvest of 7 sao of winter-spring rice in 2018, earning 7 million VND; the Youth Union of the Forest Protection Management Board, in conjunction with performing professional tasks, asked the agency to undertake planting lychee trees on vacant forestry land to raise funds for the Youth Union. At the end of the season, 6 tons of lychee were harvested, selling for 10,000 VND/kg. The Youth Union of the War Invalids Nursing Area 4 carried out projects such as digging ponds, raising fish, and growing clean vegetables to provide for its unit to raise funds...

Comrade Nguyen Thi Le - Secretary of Nghi Loc District Youth Union said: "The model of "borrowing land to raise funds" of Nghi Loc District Youth Union is one of the first units in the whole province to implement and is effective. Enriching the humanity of young people has created a spread in the community, multiplying the good deeds of each youth union member to continue sharing love".

Nghi Hung Commune (Nghi Loc) delegation has taken over nearly 5,000m2 of abandoned, difficult-to-produce area to produce fragrant rice varieties. Photo: Phuong Thuy

In early 2018, the Standing Committee of the Do Luong District Youth Union directed the Youth Union branches and affiliated agencies in the district to promote the organization of exciting activities to celebrate the New Year. However, due to limited funds and the desire to have funds to give gifts to disabled students and families in especially difficult circumstances, the District Youth Union launched 6 communes as pilot communes to implement the "Car wash to raise funds" model with the participation of nearly 100 youth union members.

A typical example is the Thuan Son Commune Youth Union, as soon as it was launched by the District Youth Union, it organized car washing services at central locations of the commune such as in front of school gates or the Commune People's Committee... Directly participating in this activity are the Standing Committee of the Commune Youth Union, secretaries of the Youth Union branches and a number of Youth Union members and youth in 8 Youth Union branches.

Car wash fundraising activities of the Commune Youth Unions in Do Luong district. Photo: Phuong Thuy

At the car washes, the tools and machines are voluntarily brought by the union members and young people; each person is assigned a different task, so the car wash time is shortened. The price for the car wash service is 15,000 VND/time. Although they are not professional car washers, with the enthusiasm of youth, the union members and young people work quite thoughtfully and thoroughly, so many people bring their cars to wash and support.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a resident of Thuan Son commune, said: “Hearing that the Youth Union organized a car wash to raise funds, I and the people in the village brought motorbikes to contribute a small part to support the meaningful activities of the youth, sharing with difficult circumstances…”.

After 2 days of hard work, the union members collected about 4 million VND, along with donations from the people.

Thanks to the funds raised from the car wash fundraiser, the Commune Youth Unions in Do Luong gave gifts to disadvantaged students to help them go to school. Photo: PT

Comrade Tran Thi An - Secretary of Thuan Son Commune Youth Union said: “Since the beginning of the year, Thuan Son Commune Youth Union has launched 3 car wash campaigns to raise funds, each car wash is announced on the commune's loudspeaker so that everyone knows and supports. Up to now, the Commune Youth Union has presented 32 gifts to students in difficult circumstances, providing some support to help them continue to go to school. This is also a noble gesture that demonstrates the pioneering spirit of Thuan Son youth”.

In addition, after a short time of launching, the entire Do Luong district has attracted 33 Youth Union bases and thousands of Youth Union members and youths to participate in "Car wash to raise funds". Specifically, Giang Son Dong Commune Youth Union washed hundreds of motorbikes, collecting more than 4.6 million VND and 600 thousand VND from registered donations from people; Nam Son Commune Youth Union collected more than 3 million VND, put into the charity fund to help the poor after only 2 days...

Comrade Nguyen Duc Luong - Secretary of Do Luong District Youth Union said: "From the beginning of 2018 until now, Do Luong youth have organized 4 car wash campaigns to raise funds throughout the district. Recently, the "car wash fundraiser" activity to support students going to school was deployed simultaneously at all levels of the Youth Union and raised about 93 million VND; thereby having funds to donate 68 bicycles to students in difficult circumstances.

The model is a practical activity of the Youth Union, supported by all classes of people; at the same time, it educates and spreads awareness and responsibility to the community among union members, youth and people, and shares some of the difficulties with poor children.

There are also other fundraising activities such as selling sugarcane juice, incense, collecting scrap... Photo: PT

In addition, Do Luong District Youth Union also organizes creative fundraising activities and models such as: selling incense, dong leaves, slogans, banners cheering for U23 Vietnam, making coconut jam, eggplant candy, selling sugarcane juice...

Talking to us, Nguyen Thi Thom, Standing Deputy Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union, said that up to now, there are nearly 16 units implementing fundraising models such as: car wash, borrowing agricultural land, charity music nights...

Currently, this fundraising has reached all the branches and is not only for activities but the collected funds are used for social security activities: taking on the foster children model of the union, the school support fund, some units with a large amount of collected funds also lend capital to young people for economic development...

The construction and replication of many of these models have contributed to overcoming the immediate difficulties of the Youth Union, but at the same time, it has also demonstrated the creativity and enthusiasm of the youth. At the same time, it has affirmed that the movements and activities of the Youth Union are gradually becoming more substantial, having a great influence on public opinion and helping the Youth Union affirm its role in participating in the socio-economic development of the province in general.

In addition, the Youth Union movement activities are increasingly promoted and attract the participation of a large number of youth union members. From bright spots in some units, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee has continued to direct the maintenance and replication of these models throughout the province.