In the sweltering heat of mid-July, while most students returned home for rest after an intense semester, 45 student volunteers from Nam Can Tho University set out for Dak Lak, carrying with them youthful energy, passion, and a heart eager to serve the community.

Leaving the mark of volunteer spirit

The students’ journey began on July 13 in Ea Rok and Ia Lop communes—two localities with large ethnic minority populations still facing many hardships.

Upon arrival, the volunteers immediately set to work. One of the standout projects was the “National Flag Road” in the border commune of Ia Lop. With funding of 10 million VND, 50 flagpoles with red flags bearing the yellow star were installed along main roads, helping to brighten the rural landscape while instilling patriotism and national pride among residents.

In Ea Rok commune, the project “Lighting up Rural Roads” was launched, installing six solar-powered streetlights to illuminate the road leading to the commune center, ensuring safer travel for residents at night.

Beyond infrastructure, the Nam Can Tho University students reached out to the community with meaningful activities. They presented 20 gift packages to policy beneficiary households and 50 sets of school supplies to disadvantaged students in Ia Lop commune. Free haircut services were offered, alongside awareness campaigns on HIV prevention, protection against sexual abuse and human trafficking. Hundreds of textbooks and learning materials were also donated to local children.

Among the volunteer initiatives, a “Loving Noodle Stall” stood out—set up beneath a tree, with steaming broth, busy hands preparing ingredients, and the warm smiles of student volunteers. Simple and modest, it became a gathering place of compassion in a land of hardship. In just one week, nearly 2,000 hot bowls of noodles were served to students and residents in Ea Rok. For the young volunteers, each bowl carried a greeting, a warm embrace, and a bridge between urban youth and people in remote communities.

The “Loving Noodle Stall” in Ea Rok commune welcomed many visitors each afternoon.

Pham Dac Hoang Vu — Deputy Secretary of the Ea Rok Commune Youth Union — shared: “As soon as we learned that Nam Can Tho University would organize activities here, the commune’s Youth Union formed a 30-member volunteer team to support them. With their dynamism, responsibility, discipline, and community spirit, the students helped spread the positive image of youth to local people. The projects and activities carried out held not only material value but also profound spiritual meaning, strengthening the bond between young people and the community.”

Growing through experience

The volunteers did not only “give” but also “receive” valuable lessons. It was an experience of living amidst the vast mountains and forests, learning from real-life situations, and gaining a deeper understanding of the lives of ethnic minority communities. Through each activity, their sense of responsibility, maturity, life skills, and solidarity grew stronger.

As team leader, Nguyen Van Toan — Secretary of the Youth Union of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Nam Can Tho University — was not only a guide but also an inspiration for the meaningful journey.

Toan and the campaign leadership carefully planned everything—from surveying local conditions and coordinating with authorities to delegating tasks and preparing for unexpected situations such as bad weather or changes in manpower. “For a long-term campaign in an unfamiliar place, keeping the team’s morale high was no small challenge. That’s why every evening after activities, the team gathered to share feelings and encourage each other. This helped us not only work effectively but also bond like a family,” Toan shared.

The “National Flag Road” project was carried out by students in Ia Lop commune.

For Tran Dien Ha — a Law student at Nam Can Tho University — this was the first time joining such a large-scale volunteer activity. A week in Dak Lak became an emotional journey of personal growth, motivating him to live not just for himself, but for others as well.

When the campaign ended, the team left Dak Lak with hurried hugs from children, firm handshakes from residents, and a lingering sense of regret at not being able to do more. Yet the journey sowed seeds of hope, lit up roads and dreams, and touched the hearts of every young volunteer.