Yen Bai Connection - A Journey of Love

And so, the volunteer journey named " Deep Affection for Yen Bai " has concluded, filled with emotions and overflowing with love . What remains most after the trip is the happy eyes and radiant smiles of the children in Pa Lau commune, Tram Tau district , Yen Bai province, during the two days of the program, January 11-12, 2020.

"Warm Winter" is an annual charity program organized by the Student Volunteer Team of the Faculty of Construction Materials, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, during the Lunar New Year season. This year, the program is called "Deep Affection for Yen Bai," hoping to bring compassion, sharing, and small gifts to poor students in Pa Lau commune, Tram Tau district, where 100% of the population are H'Mong ethnic people in the mountainous district of Yen Bai province. Notably, this year's program also includes the participation of lecturers from the Faculty of Construction Materials , Hanoi University of Civil Engineering.

Photo of the Student Volunteer Team and teachers from the Construction Materials Department at the People's Committee of Pá Lau commune .

Bidding farewell to the hustle and bustle of the city, at exactly 4:30 AM on January 11, 2020, the volunteer group set off for Pá Lau commune, Trạm Tấu district, Yên Bái province. For many students, this was their first trip away from home, so they were both nervous and excited. The biting cold and the constant hairpin turns caused many members of the group to get motion sickness, but everyone's face clearly showed an indescribable joy. The bus took the group to one of the poorest areas in Yên Bái province. After working with the commune's leaders, the group distributed warm clothes to the children at the Pá Lau boarding school .

The image shows volunteers handing out warm clothes to children in Pá Lau commune.

The Pá Lau boarding school has 250 H'Mông ethnic minority children. To get to school, they have to travel a very long distance. Seeing firsthand the muddy dirt roads and steep cliffs, one can truly understand how difficult the path to education is for these children. Hopefully, these warm clothes will be a helpful aid for them as they continue their journey to school.

In addition, the group also visited families in particularly difficult circumstances to give small gifts to help them have a warmer Tet holiday. The members all clearly felt the hardships faced by the people here; some areas still lack electricity and running water. Below are some pictures from the trip.

These gifts may not be substantial in material terms, but they bring warmth to the people in the highlands.

The image shows volunteers clearing the path leading to the school.

"Bringing youthful energy to every corner of the country" – that's the motto of the young men and women of "Materials." The biting cold and extreme hardship here are enough to defeat any student . However, today, wearing the green volunteer uniform of the Construction University, with the Materials logo on their chests, everyone is aware of the noble mission they are undertaking, gaining strength to spread love to all corners of the country .

Cultural exchange activities
- spiritual gifts for the people of Pá Lau commune.

At the end of the trip, 60 volunteers experienced firsthand the difficult living conditions of the local people. Perhaps, only by stepping out of our shells of solitude, opening our hearts to everyone, and giving our all in these charitable trips, can we learn many ways to appreciate and love this life more.

Thank you to the lecturers and professors of the Department of Building Materials, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, for accompanying and inspiring us to spread love. Thank you to the leaders of Pá Lau commune for creating the conditions for this meaningful program to take place… And thank you to my friends
– the most wonderful Building Materials volunteers. All of you have created a truly wonderful memory, a youthful mark of love and sharing.

The program also helped us realize that love is about sharing, and we received so much in return: the smiles of our fellow villagers and the children in the poor communes we visited
– when we gave them gifts, we played together as if we had known each other for a long time...