In a powerful display of community spirit and social responsibility, two major initiatives have swept across Vietnam in August 2025, bringing tangible support to vulnerable families and modernizing public services for residents from bustling cities to remote border villages. From the philanthropic actions of Tập đoàn Đại Dũng in Thanh Hóa Province to the tireless volunteerism of thousands of young people in Đồng Nai, these efforts highlight a nationwide commitment to uplifting communities and improving everyday life for countless citizens.
On August 8, 2025, Tập đoàn Đại Dũng (DDC), a multi-sector conglomerate headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City and renowned for its steel structure production, took a significant step towards alleviating housing insecurity in Thanh Hóa Province. According to Báo Thanh Hóa, DDC organized a heartfelt visit to several communes—Quan Sơn, Tam Thanh, Tam Lư, and Trung Hạ—where it provided direct financial support to build ten Đại đoàn kết houses for poor and policy families. Each of these households received 80 million đồng to construct a new home, a sum that can make the difference between precarious shelter and a safe, stable dwelling.
The generosity did not stop there. Each family was also given an additional 2 million đồng in cash, along with essential household items like electric rice cookers, tables, chairs, and other daily necessities. The company's representatives, joined by leaders from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local authorities, personally visited recipient families, offering encouragement and practical support. As seen in images from the event, the gratitude and relief on the faces of beneficiaries such as Mrs. Lò Thị Giang in Quan Sơn and Mr. Lò Văn Chung in Tam Lư spoke volumes about the impact of this assistance.
This initiative forms part of the broader implementation of Directive 22-CT/TU, issued by the Thanh Hóa Provincial Party Committee, which aims to mobilize resources for housing construction for poor households and policy families with housing difficulties during 2024-2025. DDC's ongoing partnership with local governments in Thanh Hóa is not new; the group has a longstanding record of supporting social welfare activities, including providing housing for the poor and aiding orphans and children facing hardship. As DDC continues to expand its industrial and civil construction projects nationwide, its commitment to social responsibility seems firmly woven into its corporate fabric.
Meanwhile, in Đồng Nai Province, a different but equally inspiring story has unfolded. Early August saw a wave of youthful energy sweeping through urban wards and rural communes as thousands of volunteers from the Đồng Nai Provincial Youth Union devoted themselves to supporting the rollout of a new two-level government model. According to Dân trí, these young people, clad in their signature blue shirts, have become a familiar sight at administrative service centers, where they work from 7 AM to 5 PM daily, assisting hundreds of residents with a range of administrative procedures.
At the Trấn Biên ward administrative service center—serving more than 200,000 people, the largest population of any ward in Đồng Nai—volunteers like Thanh Sang and Xuân Tâm have made a real difference. "Our group of 5-7 volunteers is present every day at the center, supporting residents from 7 AM to 5 PM. Seeing people complete their tasks quickly makes us very happy," shared Thanh Sang, echoing the sense of fulfillment felt by many. Xuân Tâm, an 11th grader at Nam Hà High School, added, "Our group was trained by the ward staff on the procedures and tasks to support residents. After two weeks, we've become familiar with the data entry work. It's really rewarding to help older residents."
But the reach of these efforts extends far beyond city centers. In remote Đắk Nhau commune, situated over 200 kilometers from Đồng Nai's provincial hub and home to a large ethnic minority population, volunteers have not only waited for residents to come to the service center but have proactively visited homes to offer assistance. Minh Lý, a volunteer from Trấn Biên ward, explained, "In Đắk Nhau, my job is to guide people in taking numbers, entering documents into the system, and handling simple procedures. Our group also creates detailed instructional videos, posts them on the commune's electronic information site, and shares them in community groups—it's been very helpful."
The scale of this operation is impressive. From July 15 to August 7, 2025, a total of 1,375 volunteer teams comprising over 11,769 members have supported more than 118,466 residents and businesses in navigating administrative procedures at local service centers. Volunteers have been especially vital in helping people access digital services, such as installing the VNeID app, setting up electronic accounts, and using both national and provincial public service systems. These tech-savvy youth have also played a key role in digitizing administrative records, streamlining processes, and reducing the workload for local officials.
According to Nguyễn Minh Kiên, Secretary of the Đồng Nai Provincial Youth Union, "In recent times, volunteer groups have supported local government staff with data entry, organizing and digitizing administrative records, and reviewing data lists to implement digital government initiatives." The volunteers' efforts have also included the deployment of "Digital Literacy Teams" and "Community Digital Technology Groups" to further bridge the digital divide at the grassroots level.
Before being deployed, all volunteers receive thorough training and guidance, ensuring they can provide effective and accurate support to both residents and local governments. Their presence has been especially crucial during the 60-day peak campaign to accompany the rollout of the new government model, ensuring that at least 15 volunteers are always on hand at each service center to help residents and businesses. This not only accelerates the resolution of administrative tasks but also familiarizes citizens with new digital tools and procedures, laying the groundwork for a more responsive and accessible public administration.
Both stories—one of corporate philanthropy in Thanh Hóa, the other of youth-driven civic engagement in Đồng Nai—underscore a broader trend in Vietnam: the increasing alignment of private sector, government, and civil society efforts to address social challenges. While DDC's financial and material contributions offer immediate relief and long-term stability to vulnerable families, the energy and expertise of Đồng Nai's young volunteers are helping to modernize public services and strengthen trust between citizens and their government.
These initiatives, each remarkable in their own right, reveal a country where compassion, cooperation, and innovation are forging a path toward a brighter, more inclusive future. Whether it’s a family receiving the keys to a new home or an elderly resident mastering a digital form with a volunteer’s help, the impact is both profound and deeply personal—proof that meaningful change often begins with a single act of kindness, multiplied by many hands.
