ENG
VIE
Nestled among large blocks of waste and decomposed animal corpses floating on the river, the young people of Green Hanoi are not afraid to work hard to clean up the trash because the capital is cleaner and more beautiful.
While many people choose to rest on the weekend, volunteers from the Green Hanoi group wade into each river to clean up trash. This week, Pheo River (Tu Liem district, Hanoi) is the location where the group performed.
“I have been volunteering for two months and decided to participate in this work long term. It doesn’t have to be something big, I want to do something meaningful. People are afraid “why spend time cleaning up trash” but I want to spread this message to everyone “Just give and don’t expect anything in return, live your life to the fullest and in the future” – Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Thuong (31 years old, member of Hanoi Xanh) opens up
Fight to get back each ‘green patch’
Over the past half year, this volunteer group has been cleaning up trash in many famous polluted rivers of Hanoi such as To Lich and Nhue rivers.
Ms. Dang Thuy Trang (23 years old, Hanoi) – a volunteer of the Green Hanoi group – shared that each polluted river section takes 3-4 sessions, lasting 2 weeks, to clean up. Although a strong stench rose to the surface of the water, volunteers continued to scoop up clusters of duckweed, styrofoam boxes, cardboard, and plastic bags onto the shore.
The work was hard, but the young people did not complain. Instead, they encouraged each other, sometimes laughing because they discovered a “strange object” in the riverbed. “After seeing us clean up, people around are self-aware and no longer litter indiscriminately. That’s something everyone feels happy about” – Trang said.
“While volunteering to clean up trash, we cannot avoid the stumbles and dangers of wading in deep rivers. At that time, we need a teammate by our side the most,” shared Le Duc Thang (22 years old, from Nam Dinh).
“New members often have difficulty avoiding sharp objects at the bottom of the river such as needles, bricks, rocks, and glass, so we have to carefully train and remind them. Smelly garbage will make you uncomfortable, but after about 2-3 sessions you will get used to it” – Mr. Hieu added.
No advertising, no clickbait, no “coloring”
Mr. Le Minh Hieu (26 years old, Ha Nam) – deputy of the Hanoi Green group – said: “After the group’s work received everyone’s support, I decided to quit my job to focus on building the Ha Noi team. Noi Xanh. Initially established, there were only two people, myself and the group leader. All activities were spontaneous, without going through school. Later, many other volunteers joined the team. Mr. Huy and I will Directly guide you to ensure progress and safety when performing.”
During operations, most costs are meticulously calculated by Hanoi Green group leaders to save the most money. There are also times when philanthropists come to the support group but the amount of money is not significant. The group’s motto is not to accept commercial support or advertising because it can affect the original purpose of establishment for the community.
In addition, these volunteers were kicked out and not allowed to clean up just because “the trash on the lake belongs to them, they know how to handle it themselves” and said many harsh words. In addition, there was feedback that the group was just “seeking views and interactions”… But the young people just laughed and encouraged each other to ignore the gossip.
“Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, not just anyone’s. Protecting the environment is protecting our own health,” Green Hanoi group deputy Le Minh Hieu reminded.
Source: Báo Tuổi Trẻ Online