Create a useful playground for children

(Baonghean) - Over the past years, villages and hamlets in Hung Nguyen and Dien Chau districts have built a vibrant and quality summer activity movement. This is thanks to the role of the government, organizations, unions and the great support of parents to create a useful and safe playground for children.

The whole neighborhood has summer activities together.

For a long time, Ms. Tran Thi Ty (Yen Quang hamlet, Dien Ngoc commune, Dien Chau) has played a prominent role in supporting and encouraging the summer activities and the Team ritual competition of the hamlet. Usually very busy with work, however, every time the Youth Union starts to "beat the drum" to summon children to participate in summer activities, it is also the time when Ms. Ty and the mothers and sisters in Yen Quang hamlet enter the "special vacation" with an excited and joyful spirit.

Ms. Tran Thi Ty said: “Every year, when the Team ceremonial competition comes, we temporarily suspend our daily work to support and serve the children from start to finish.” Every night when the children practice, mothers and sisters also follow, both to observe and to give advice and support the Youth Union. Many sisters also enthusiastically participate, walking in unison, turning left and right, practicing the ensemble performances with the children so that when they return home, they will know how to guide their children and grandchildren.

Officers of Hung Nguyen district Youth Union discussed summer activities with leaders of Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen). Photo: Hoai Thu

Ms. Tran Thi Ty added: “Women in the village also organized and called on their children to donate money and directly took care of the costumes and cooked meals for the children during the several days of the Team Rituals Competition. Every year, the Team Rituals Competition has become a festival for the entire Dien Ngoc commune. Everyone participates, from the elderly to the children, every night there is the sound of footsteps and the bustling beat of the Team drums.

“The whole neighborhood was bustling with people calling each other to watch children’s practice. The men, uncles and young people discussed plans for camps and sports competitions. There were even cases of women “complaining” about why their children and grandchildren were not selected for the ceremonial competition team or the art team,” said Cao Duc Nguyen, Secretary of the Dien Ngoc Commune Youth Union.

When asked why mothers encourage their children to participate in summer activities, and why they themselves actively participate with their children, the common answer we received from local people is that, first of all, it is fun and bustling in the village. Second, this activity is really beneficial, helping children not only stay away from social evils, but also helping them practice skills, be bold and confident in front of crowds, and in community activities.

Because of these positive results, many households in Yen Quang hamlet have donated 5-7 million VND, and in some years the amount of money sent back by children in the hamlet, including those working far away, has reached nearly 100 million VND. Ms. Ty said: "After spending openly, we set up a savings fund for the following year and support poor families with good students to borrow capital to do business."

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Van - Vice Chairman of Dien Ngoc Commune People's Committee (Dien Chau) affirmed: "The enthusiastic support of the people in the summer activities of young people has helped build and develop the grassroots movement, strengthen solidarity, attachment, and share the love of the village, contributing to building an increasingly civilized and united village".

Localities in Hung Nguyen district organize summer activities for children at night. Photo provided by the facility

Commune Chairman and Chairman of the Youth Union Council

In Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen), not only do people participate in summer activities with children and youth, but the Party Committee and government also really "roll up their sleeves and get to work". Proof of this is the fact that the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee assumes the position of Chairman of the Commune's Youth Union Council. According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Thuc - Chairman of the Hung Tan Commune People's Committee, the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee assuming the "position" of Chairman of the Youth Union Council, although he is an honorary chairman, has become a "tradition" that has been maintained for many years in the locality.

In the hamlets, the hamlet chief is the person who takes on the role of Head of the Steering Committee for this work. Accordingly, every year in July, when students are out of school, the People's Committee of Hung Tan commune establishes a steering committee headed by the Chairman of the People's Committee to organize summer activities and the Team rites for the local youth. The steering committee has assigned specific tasks to mass organizations as well as individuals to support and gather youth, union members, children and even people in the hamlets to actively participate in the activities of the Youth Union and the Team.

In which, the key role is played by the Youth Union, Women's Union, Veterans Association, secretaries, hamlet chiefs, etc. Thanks to that, Hung Tan commune has mobilized the entire political system to participate, helping the commune's youth movement to always develop strongly, leading the locality in this work for many years.

Youth team of Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau) competes in the Team ceremony in 2016. Photo provided by the facility

Mr. Nguyen Trong Thuc said: “The Party Committee and the commune government not only lead and directly participate in summer activities for young people but also pay attention to implementing activities of the Youth Union during the summer, directing and supporting other activities during the year, especially during holidays and Tet. Because we are aware that improving the quality of Youth Union and Pioneer movements is also creating a source of cadres and building movements for the locality in the future.

In the immediate future, gathering young people to participate in activities during the summer break will help them avoid social evils, prevent accidents and injuries, and at the same time supplement life skills. With that viewpoint, for many years in Hung Tan commune, there have been no cases of students dropping out of school, no social evils or accidents, or drowning of children during the summer break.

Thanks to the attention and participation of the Party Committee and the government, along with the active participation of the Youth Union staff, the percentage of commune-level units in Hung Nguyen district that organized well and effectively summer activities and the Team etiquette competition increased from 30% in 2012 to 100% in 2016.

Preparing for the 2017 summer activities and Team rites competition, Hung Nguyen District Youth Union Secretary Cao Anh Duc said: “The District Youth Union has completed the skills training for the commune Youth Union cadres; handed over the organization of summer activities to the localities. In particular, the content of the activities of the commune and hamlet Youth Union branches will focus on implementing summer activities for children and teenagers such as: Team rites competition; activities to commemorate the War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27; training and warnings on preventing injuries and drowning for children and teenagers... so that union members, youth and students who come to participate in activities in the locality can experience meaningful, beneficial and safe summers of their childhood”.

Hoai Thu