"Warm clothes for children" reaches the highlands of Che Cu Nha.

Aware of the difficulties faced by the people of Che Cu Nha commune, where 99% of the population are ethnic Mong people, especially the students who lack sufficient warm clothing during the harsh winter in the highlands, the Psychology Faculty's Student Union organized a fundraising campaign among teachers, students, and benefactors to donate essential supplies, warm clothes, blankets, etc., to underprivileged children and families in the area. "Warm Clothes for Children" is a practical gift that will help the people of Che Cu Nha commune celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year in warmth and joy. The preparation and fundraising efforts, carried out urgently at the end of the first semester, achieved results beyond expectations. The volunteer team received 30 boxes of winter clothing, over 600 kg of rice, along with other necessities, sweets, household and school supplies… In addition to the donation work, before the trip, the student volunteers from the Psychology Department received training in skills and were briefed on the location, tasks, and activities that the team would undertake during the three-day volunteer trip.

Soft skills training for secondary school students in Che Cu Nha commune.

The journey began on the afternoon of January 23rd, traversing a long and winding road through the mountains of Northwest Vietnam. The entire group arrived at Che Cu Nha Ethnic Boarding School in Che Cu Nha commune at 10 PM. It was very cold, with temperatures around 6-7 degrees Celsius.^oC. With the help of the school and the Youth Union officials of the commune, the group quickly settled into their accommodation. As with all previous volunteer trips, after dinner, the entire group held a meeting to finalize the work to be done the following day.

On the morning of January 24th, the volunteer team, in collaboration with teachers from Che Cu Nha Ethnic Boarding School, organized a soft skills training program, including communication and teamwork skills, for students in grades 6, 7, and 8, and disseminated knowledge about reproductive health and sexuality to students in grade 9. The training session, combined with games, prizes, and the enthusiasm of the student volunteers from the Psychology Department, received enthusiastic participation from the students.

On the same day, after the skills training session, the entire group went to distribute gifts to families receiving government assistance and families in difficult circumstances. Traversing treacherous mountain paths and steep slopes, the group reached each household of the Hmong people, handing out gifts directly to them. The tears of happiness from the people made us, the volunteers, feel that our trip was truly meaningful. Mrs. Ho Thi Sai, over 80 years old, living alone in the high mountains, shared with us with tears in her eyes:I'm over 80 years old, and I often suffer from abdominal and chest pain at night, but I don't know what's wrong and I don't have the means to see a doctor. However, thanks to the care and attention from the government and the school, I feel very happy; my pain, suffering, and hunger have been alleviated. Thank you to the government and the school.!”.

Disseminating knowledge about reproductive health to 9th grade students.

On the evening of January 24th, a lively cultural exchange program took place between the Youth Union of the Psychology Department and the Education and Training Department of Mu Cang Chai, and Che Cu Nha Ethnic Boarding School. During the program, the volunteer group presented gifts to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with good academic achievements; they also presented commemorative medals and learning equipment to the school. The cultural performances by faculty and students of the Psychology Department, and by faculty and students of Che Cu Nha Ethnic Boarding School, celebrated the Party and the Lunar New Year, and were met with enthusiastic applause from the local people. Mr. Lo Sin Venh's family, upon hearing about the cultural program, came down from the high mountains to participate and said:It's been quite a while since we've had such a wonderful and enjoyable cultural performance here. Many families, like mine, in the highlands, dropped everything in the evenings when they heard that student volunteers from the capital were coming to watch the performance. We were so happy!The bond between the faculty and students of the Psychology Department and the people of Che Cu Nha commune has been further strengthened.

Presenting gifts to underprivileged students in Che Cu Nha commune.

On the morning of January 25th, the group split into two directions. One group continued distributing gifts to families receiving government assistance and those facing difficult circumstances in the commune; the other group distributed gifts to young children at a kindergarten in the mountains. This kindergarten is located on flat land, and although the road is very difficult, according to the teachers there, most families in the mountains send their children there, with very few cases of children dropping out. Boxes of candies, warm clothes, stationery, and toys were transported there. After completing all the work, the entire group gathered at Che Cu Nha Ethnic Boarding School for a meeting to summarize all the work accomplished and to have a final meal with the school staff and students. Although it was only three days, the students treated us like family; they didn't want us to leave and wanted us to stay for many more days.

Talking and sharing with the people of Che Cu Nha.

A trip"Warm coat for her"The journey has come to an end. Leaving Che Cu Nha, the beautiful land of Lao Cai with its terraced rice fields winding amidst the clouds and mountains, and the steep mountain passes of the Northwest region, the volunteer group bid farewell to the children, teachers, and ethnic people at the schools before returning to Hanoi filled with joy and emotion. This brief but meaningful encounter gave us the opportunity to share and understand more, and to love even more, this land with its simple yet sincere people. Although we are leaving, the image of the beautiful land of Che Cu Nha, with the innocent eyes of the children and the affectionate feelings of the people here, will remain forever in our hearts.