Youth-Led Initiatives: Cleaning up Ho Chi Minh City’s Canals

The young members of the Saigon Green group have quietly given “”””a fresh look”””” to the canals in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cleaning up, unblocking the flow

Cleaning up the trash on the banks is tough, but cleaning up the underwater trash is even tougher, like facing invisible dangers under the dark water, the foul odors from decaying animal carcasses or organic waste.

But the Saigon Green group always silently immerses themselves in the water to unblock the flow of the city’s rivers.

The green journey of the young members of the Saigon Green group is spreading. The group was established on December 5, 2022, initially with just five members from different fields.

They share a common purpose and idea of wanting our living environment to be green, clean, and beautiful.

Thanks to the group’s noble actions, the number of members has now exceeded 50, with over 200 volunteers throughout Ho Chi Minh City. Furthermore, Saigon Green has established a representative office at 125 National Highway 13, Ward 226, Binh Thanh District.

Here is where meetings take place with the strong supporters who sponsor the group, providing gloves, protective clothing, medical equipment, etc., to help the group avoid risks while carrying out trash cleaning activities.

On July 9, the group turned a river in Thu Duc City green with over 200 volunteers from universities such as Van Lang University, University of Economics – Law, National University of Ho Chi Minh City, and other volunteers on social media.

Anh Nguyen Luong Ngoc’s group (Leader of Saigon Green) began preparing the necessary tools for cleaning the canals. Rubber boots, gloves, and protective clothing were carefully prepared.

Amidst the black, trash-laden canal, the members of the Saigon Green group and the volunteers did not hesitate to collect trash into bags. The trash mainly consisted of plastic bottles, styrofoam containers, and non-biodegradable plastic bags, among other items.

Spreading environmental awareness

It is known that after the collected trash is brought up, local government pickup trucks will assist in transporting it to disposal sites within the city.

The group currently receives support from local authorities, elderly individuals, and young people from all over the country. The group is indeed “”””refreshing the canals in Ho Chi Minh City.””””

Tuong Vy, 21 years old, a student at the University of Economics – Law, expressed that the actions of the Saigon Green group are very meaningful for the environment.

“”””””””Thanks to the group for posting videos on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, we learned that there are young people doing jobs that many are hesitant to do. Before coming here, I was nervous because this was my first time doing this. But after today, I feel very happy to have done such a meaningful job,”””””””” Tuong Vy shared.

Despite facing numerous challenges, the group never ceased to spread the message of environmental protection.

In order to participate in trash cleanup, Mr. Tân and other volunteer friends had to be fully vaccinated against tetanus to avoid situations where they might step on broken glass or sharp metal. However, these are temporary measures because, in addition to what vaccinations can prevent, there are many other potential dangers such as hazardous waste and needles.

Ms. Nguyễn Nguyệt Thu, a 65-year-old resident living near the canal that the group is cleaning, expressed her joy upon seeing the group preparing to clean up the trash. Actions like these will help the young people become more conscious of their actions in the future regarding environmental protection.

(Source: nguoiduatin.vn)