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American student volunteers build charity houses in Vietnam (Photo: SGGP) |
House construction is one of the activities in the summer international volunteer exchange program jointly implemented by Putney Student Travel, the provincial Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Union.
As usual, American student volunteers gathered in Tinh Khe Commune of the Central Province of Quang Ngai to build charity houses for poor and disadvantaged households. They are planning to build three houses.
In sweaty T-shirts, American students were still enthusiastically pushing bricks and mixing cement and sand to build houses following the guidance of local master craftsmen.
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American volunteers level the ground for a house in Tinh Khe Commune, Quang Ngai City (Photo: SGGP) |
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In sweaty T-shirts, American students are still enthusiastically pushing bricks (Photo: SGGP) |
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American students are still enthusiastically mixing cement and sand (Photo: SGGP) |
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American students build three houses in Tinh Khe Commune (Photo: SGGP) |
16-year-old Madelyn Baker from Santa Clara County of the US’s California, who came to Vietnam for the very first time, said students coming from schools in many parts of the US flew to Ho Chi Minh City and Quang Ngai for volunteering work. He was touched by the love of locals for volunteering students adding that he loves building houses so that poor inhabitants can live in new houses.
Student volunteers have completed the foundation and brick wall of Ms. Vo Thi Tuyet Nga's house in Tu Cung village of Tinh Khe Commune. Ms. Nga happily said thank you to the American students’ help, she and her two children didn’t live in a shack any longer.
Ms. Bui Thi Thuy Hong, leader of the American volunteer group in Tinh Khe Commune, has been accompanying the American student volunteers. She revealed that American students have been building three houses in Tinh Khe Commune for poverty-stricken locals.
After finishing the activity in the commune, American student volunteers will go to Ly Son Island to teach children at An Hai Primary School gratis. Every 2 American children will tutor 8-10 fourth graders. American students will teach local children from 7a.m. to 9a.m. in the morning while carrying out other voluntary work in the afternoon.
Secretary of the Youth Union of Tinh Khe Commune Tran Viet Hoa said that the administration is very happy to welcome American student volunteers who have helped to build three charity houses. The local youth union also mobilized its members and young men in the commune to help the students in building these houses soon.
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Student Jeremy Worth says this is the first time he has done volunteer work in Vietnam (Photo: SGGP) |
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In sweaty T-shirts, American students are still enthusiastically doing their work (Photo: SGGP) |
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American students are very interested in learning more about how to build houses in Vietnam (Photo: SGGP) |
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American students are very interested in learning more about how to build houses in Vietnam (Photo: SGGP) |
Being the organizer of the international volunteer exchange program this summer, the Putney Student Travel organized two groups of students. One group is responsible for building houses in Tinh Khe Commune while the other group will build three other charity houses in Binh Thanh Commune of Binh Son District. The volunteer work continues until July 20.
Groups of American student volunteers have participated in exchanges and activities in Quang Ngai Province for 15 years.
Deputy Secretary of the Quang Ngai Provincial Youth Union Ho Thi Thu Thanh said this exchange program is not only a volunteer activity of American students but also strengthening the friendship and mutual understanding between American students and Vietnamese youth.
This is also an opportunity for young people of the two countries to learn about each other's culture, creating a healthy and useful playground through volunteer activities to help the poor and cultural and artistic exchanges, she added.
