Students from Vinh University had a memorable experience when they went to To Village to do volunteer work with the minority people there.

Located in the southwest Nghe An Province, some 130 kilometres from Vinh City, To Village in Yen Khe Commune, Con Cuong District has 1,120 households, with some 5,000 people, mostly of the Thai ethnic group.
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Local people live on farming activities and their life is still very hard due to poor infrastructure, out-dated equipment and old-fashioned methods.

Planting rice, searching for dried wood, digging ditches, mending roads and building houses. were among the things these volunteer did. Many students, especially those who grew up in the city, found it hard to adapt to a way of life full of hardship and lack of comfort. After getting over that shock, however, they seemed to find the experience rewarding.

“Through this campaign, we did not only share our work with local people but also learned many valuable things,” said student Mai Thi Giang. “Many places in our country are still very difficult to live in, and and we have a responsibility to help”

Although living with the locals in difficult conditions, the students formed a bond with the locals, who always saved the best things for their guests, like cakes, fruits and rice.

Planting rice

Help local people put up a house

Clearing an irrigation canal.

Road work

Donating clothes and some equipments for poor households