One such effort is led by Duong Thi Hong Nhung, a 2003-born final-year student majoring in Korean Language Education at Keimyung University in Daegu, South Korea. Every Monday and Thursday, she teaches a free online Korean class for nine students from Van Canh commune.
The programme, announced by the Van Canh Youth Union on Facebook, began in July and is scheduled to run for at least three months. Each 90-minute lesson covers listening, speaking, reading and writing while also introducing Korean culture and addressing students’ questions about the country.
Nhung said she had envisioned the project since her high school years in Van Canh and decided to put the idea into practice after gaining experience studying in South Korea.
She said she hoped to give students in her hometown an opportunity to learn Korean without financial pressure.
For participant Doan Tran Thuy Truc, born in 2009, the class has opened the door to a language she never expected to study.
Truc said the course was completely free and praised Nhung’s dedication, noting that the relaxed learning environment had helped students feel confident communicating.
Beyond education, many young volunteers are spending their summer supporting schools and families in disadvantaged communities.
For the past three years, members of the Truyen Lua (Ignite the Flame) Club have collected warm clothing, backpacks, shoes, school supplies and other essential items for schools in ethnic minority communities in western Gia Lai.
The initiative was launched by Ho Ngoc Son, born in 2001 in Chu Se commune. What began as a campaign encouraging runners to donate gently used running shirts has gradually expanded, attracting support from individuals and running groups both inside and outside the province.
The club now also distributes backpacks, sandals and school supplies before each new academic year.
This summer, the group plans to deliver gifts to students at Hoa Hong Kindergarten in Chu Se commune. Son said the selected schools typically serve large numbers of ethnic minority students facing challenging learning conditions.
Teachers continue to introduce the club to other schools in need, helping volunteers identify future projects.
Son said growing up in Gia Lai had given him a deep understanding of the hardships faced by local children. He said the continued support from young volunteers and donors had enabled the club to extend its charitable work and expressed hope that more young people would see community service as part of their personal development.
Nguyen Cong Nguyen, born in 2008 in Van Duc commune, has also devoted increasing time to volunteer work since joining the local Youth Union in mid-2024.
After initially helping with basic tasks, Nguyen became a regular volunteer at gift distribution events, "Zero Dong Markets" and charity meal programmes, assisting with preparing soy milk, distributing meal tickets, arranging utensils and carrying donated goods.
During this summer alone, he has mobilized resources to organize two "Zero Dong" meal events serving around 160 meals while also collecting gifts for disadvantaged children and elderly residents.
Nguyen said sharing updates about the activities on his personal social media page had helped demonstrate how donations were used, encouraging benefactors to contribute to future charitable meals.
Pham Hien Trung, born in 2001 in Bo Ngoong commune, has likewise spent the past three years setting aside part of his income while raising additional donations to provide rice, milk, essential goods and medical assistance for families facing hardship.
Working closely with local authorities and residents, Trung identifies households requiring urgent support and responds accordingly.
His efforts will continue this summer, with plans to donate solar-powered lamps to households without stable access to electricity.
Reflecting on his volunteer work, Trung said his motivation came simply from a desire to ease the difficulties faced by others, adding that helping even one person was a source of happiness.
