Amidst the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to the Year of the Fire Horse 2026, as yellow apricot blossoms begin to weave through the streets, the youth of HCMC are writing a journey of kindness.
A visit to Alley 306 on Nguyen Van Tao Street in Hiep Phuoc Commune revealed the rhythmic clinking of shovels and mortar mixing, echoed from Nhu Van Dung’s house. Amidst the rubble, the faces of students from the Faculty of Construction (HCMC Open University) were smudged with lime and mortar yet beamed with radiant smiles.
Moving briskly to push sand carts, they chatted animatedly to dispel the scorching heat. Occasionally, Mr. Dung’s gentle voice could be heard: “Take a break, kids, come inside and drink some water to stay healthy!”
This house, where his family has lived for nearly 20 years, was severely degraded. Whenever the high tide rose or heavy rains fell, water flooded the house, disrupting their daily life. As a near-poor household, renovating the house was a luxury dream for him.
However, since January 15, when the “Spring Volunteer” participants officially started the repair work, that dream has become a reality. Mr. Dung could not hide his joy and emotion, knowing that from now on, he no longer has to worry about flooding and his family can welcome Tet in a spacious, sturdy home.
Vo Hong Doan, one of the 15 volunteers stationed at the site, confided: “Days exposing myself to the scorching sun, learning every construction step, and striving to complete the tasks assigned by teammates to help Uncle Dung are the most memorable time of my student life.” Previously, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Hiep Phuoc Commune mobilized resources and coordinated the project with a total budget of over VND100 million (US$3,800).
Leaving Hiep Phuoc to the address of 5 Dinh Tien Hoang Street in Da Kao Ward showed nearly 400 volunteers gathering to “light the fire” for the “Sharing Spring – Tet Filled with Love” program. The space was filled with the aroma of sticky rice, mung beans, and the rich flavor of pots of braised meat with eggs.
Nguyen Phuong An, a student at the University of Transport (HCMC Campus), was meticulously tightening bamboo strings around a ‘banh tet’ (cylindrical sticky rice cake). An shared: “Every Tet, I usually wrap 'banh tet' with my parents. But this time, I am very moved to contribute a small part, sending my love into these 'banh tet' for people in difficult circumstances.”
According to Head Vo Quoc Binh of the Volunteer Connection Department (under the HCMC Youth Social Work Center), the program focuses on supporting lottery ticket sellers, children in charity classes, and those in dire straits. Each gift is not just material aid but a conveyance of the community’s affection, ensuring every citizen can enjoy a fulfilling Tet.
At another location, the Tet atmosphere at Drug Rehabilitation Facility No.1 in Xuan Thoi Son Commune was spreading with very distinct emotions. The “Journey of Faith” program brought meaningful football matches, artistic exchanges, and career counseling.
Perhaps the most emotional moment was when a short film about the trainees’ families was screened. Seeing the worn faces of their mothers and the waiting smiles of their fathers on the screen, many trainees could not hold back their tears. The presence of young volunteers here erased all distances, affirming that the “Spring of Compassion” always shares with and embraces even those who have made mistakes.
From house repair projects, pots of traditional 'banh tet', and heartfelt gifts to companionship activities at special locations, the flow of sharing continued to extend during the campaign’s peak day. On January 25, the “Sharing Spring” Peak Day within the framework of the 18th “Spring Volunteer” Campaign (2026), organized by the HCMC Youth Union in coordination with the Vietnam Youth Federation and the Vietnamese Student Association of HCMC, took place simultaneously in many residential areas and schools across the city.
The journey of love continued to spread to the Thi Nghe Center for Disabled Orphans. Here, volunteers wrote a touching “Sharing Spring – Connecting Love” festival. Two hundred gifts were handed out, but the greater value lay in the moments the volunteers played, laughed, and soothed the pain of illness for the children.
Sharing her emotions, Center Director Nguyen Ly Ngoc Thu confided that the children here have already suffered too many disadvantages, lacking family warmth and fighting illness year-round. “At a time when families gather together, these children have no private home to return to; they only know to rely on each other.” Therefore, the festival was not just material support but a flame warming their souls, giving them a childhood memory full of love.
Passing through each residential area, each civil project, and special facility, this year’s “Spring Volunteer” continues to affirm the role of HCMC youth in caring for the people’s Tet through specific, practical, and deeply humane actions.
“Sharing Spring” peak day
A new feature of this year’s “Spring Volunteer” Campaign is its occurrence across a wider area and scale in HCMC, attracting hundreds of thousands of volunteer shifts. The campaign will last until before February 16, focusing on caring for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, families under preferential treatment policy, people with meritorious services, disadvantaged households, vulnerable children and workers, officers and soldiers of the armed forces.
