The love for volunteer work from an early age has given Linh Dan an incentive to join Hanoi Volunteers Club. The 12-year-old student is also an active member of many clubs such as Ams Wide Web, We are 222, etc. of Hanoi Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.

As a young but enthusiastic volunteer, Linh Dan is often assigned manageable tasks such as taking photos of the team or cleaning tables and chairs. They are trivial things, but the 12-year-old student is never disheartened. On the contrary, it inspires her to further contribute to charity work.

 Linh Dan in the blue shirt in the Entrance Exam Support Program

Linh Dan said that ever since she enrolled in first grade, her mother had guided her to participate in charitable activities: “In first grade, my mother let me join an environmental project. After participating, I was beyond fascinated and wished to take part in more activities. Volunteering is an opportunity for me to learn, earn and exchange experiences with my seniors,  as well as make a small contribution to the community. Even though I’m young, I don’t face any difficulties because senior teammates always eagerly assist me,” Linh Dan cheerfully shared while volunteering in the Entrance Exam Support Program at her school.

Not only did she engage in volunteer work, but Linh Dan also won many certificates of merit for extracurricular activities of clubs from Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted

In order to work as a volunteer for the Entrance Exam Support Program, Linh Dan had to get up at 6 am, take a bus to Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, and carry a small camera to capture the exam moments of the candidates. Only 12 years old, Linh Dan can’t count the number of times she has participated in charity work, the number of trips far away, to donate to the homeless with her mother.

“Upon seeing a young child volunteering, other people are often surprised. I personally think volunteerism does not discriminate against age. To me, experiencing extracurricular activities at this age is very good. I also learned how to balance my studies and volunteer work. Especially when studying is stressful, I will use my free time to do charity work—,” Linh Dan said.

Sharing with Lao Dong Paper, Mrs Vu Thi Van Anh—Linh Dan’s mother (Thanh Xuan district - Hanoi) said that since she was a student, she had loved charitable activities, so she really wanted her children to share the same passion and do manageable volunteer work from an early age: “I think my daughter should participate in those activities to empathize and sympathize with everyone and enjoy a happier life. I hope she will have many experiences and accumulate new knowledge through each volunteer trip. There were times when I worried that my daughter will overexert herself for laborious work, but she said she felt very happy and was still eager to continue.”

Source: Lao Dong Paper

Translator: Tran Linh Ngan - English 2