Student volunteers on green mission
VOLUNTEERISM is no longer an “alien” word in Malaysian society.
Volunteers from various backgrounds are always ready to step forward and lend a hand.
Realising the importance of volunteerism, the Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa (YSS), an entity under the purview of the Higher Education Ministry recently sent 50 student volunteers to participate in the “Green Summer Volunteer Campaign Vietnam 2016”. They will be there from July 10 to August 14 as part of capacity building in training Volunteer Leaders.
The Green Summer Volunteer Campaign Vietnam 2016, otherwise known as “Mùa Hè Xanh”, is the 23rd annual event in Vietnam. Malaysia, through YSS, became the only recognised foreign entity to join the volunteer campaign with the collaboration of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union.
During their five weeks there, 50 volunteers from public and private universities, polytechnics, community colleges and teacher education institutes, are divided into three groups. Together with the Vietnamese students from Foreign Trade University, the University of Economics and Law and Ho Chi Minh City International University, they will carry out volunteer at work Tan Thong Hoi Commune, in the Cu Chi District, and two more at Nhon Duc and Long Thoi Commune, in the District of Na Bhe. Under the concept of ‘immersion’, they will not just carry out volunteer activities and community engagements; they will live together to learn more about the local community.
Among the community projects that will be undertaken by the YSS-Asean student volunteers include building roads at Long Thoi and Tan Thong Hoi, upgrading the youth esplanade in Nhon Duc, and renovating an abandoned kindergarten into a youth community centre in Tan Thong Hoi.
Besides that, they will also help to beautify the school grounds and villages, repair people’s homes and community toilets, carry out “fun learning” activities with children, teach English, and provide free health screening tests to the local community with the cooperation of health clinics there.
The Opening Ceremony “Mùa Hè Xanh” on July 10 was held at the September 23rd Park, in front of the iconic Binh Thanh market. Thousands of Vietnamese students and youths were present to participate in the event.
The delegation of Malaysian volunteers was represented by YSS chairman Datuk Zuraidah Atan, who has been coordinating the joint mission collaborations since 2012. The experience of being away from family and dealing with students outside the country will definitely teach the volunteers to be tolerant and patient, and to work together with others in line with the objectives of YSS to produce student volunteer icons at the global stage. The concept introduced by YSS is part of the first core of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education), which is to produce holistic, entrepreneurial and balanced graduates through experiential learning.
Good luck to the YSS-Asean Student Volunteers on this mission!