Six years on a green journey, 200,000 hearts in unison: Volunteer campaigns for the environment
WVR - For six years with the Xanh Viet Nam (Green Vietnam) community, Nguyen Ngoc Anh (1996, Ho Chi Minh City), a yoga instructor, has not only been the founder but also a familiar face in many volunteer campaigns for the environment. From litter-picking movements to promoting a green lifestyle, the young woman has left a meaningful and practical impact through her actions.
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Planting "green seeds" amidst "a forest" of challenges
In 2019, at just 23 years old, Ngoc Anh left a stable job at a software company, used her savings, and together with a few friends, founded a community dedicated to picking up trash and cleaning the environment, named Xanh Viet Nam.
At first, Xanh Viet Nam was not well-known. Maintaining the community posed financial and resource challenges. Volunteers had to provide their own tools, protective equipment, and transportation without stable sponsorship.
Moreover, Ngoc Anh had to balance taking care of herself and her family while running the community. “Before, I could freely do what I wanted, but once I joined Xanh Viet Nam, almost all my time was dedicated to the work. Many times, I wanted to rest, but the work carried me along,” Ngoc Anh shared.
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| Ngoc Anh and volunteers participating in litter-picking at the national "Under the Glorious Flag" concert. (Photo : Coutesy by author) |
In reality, picking up trash is not simply “bend down and pick it up.” Unofficial trash sites often contain hazards like needles, sharp objects, toxic waste, or decomposed garbage. Additionally, being outdoors in varying weather conditions, from sun to rain, exposed Ngoc Anh and her team to skin rashes, irritation, and sunburn.
At the beginning, Ngoc Anh also faced prejudice and criticism: “There’s too much trash, how can you pick it all up?” “Eating at home while carrying everyone else’s load,” “Why bother?” Despite this, the young woman and her friends persevered with confidence in their chosen path.
Initially, Ngoc Anh was unsure whether her efforts could spread widely or how far she could go. The only certainty was that she was sacrificing time, income, and health. Yet, she remained undeterred, committed to promoting the value of environmental protection.
| Milestones of the "green living leader": - "National Volunteer" award 2022 by the Vietnam Youth Union; - "Beautiful Living Youth" 2023 recognized by the Central Vietnam Youth Union; - Top 50 "Kind Acts" 2024 by VTV; - Speaker at the Vietnam Youth Climate Conference - LCOY Vietnam 2024; - Guest on the program Aspiration for Development: Vietnam's Journey of Renewal - Episode 4 (Unstoppable - Vietnam's Strength) by VTV in 2025. |
"Sweet fruits" from efforts
Six years have passed, and now, Green Vietnam is present in 34 provinces with over 1,000 cleanup campaigns and more than 200,000 volunteers. Nationwide campaigns include Clean Up Vietnam, Earth Day Vietnam, Green Sunday... Recently, on June 8, the 7th "Clean Up Vietnam" campaign attracted over 200,000 participants.
Besides major campaigns, Ngoc Anh and her team have expanded into various fields, notably tree planting; inspiring through lectures, talk shows, or workshops at schools; collaborating with businesses to develop ESG (environmental, social, and governance) programs; organizing charity activities... Ngoc Anh also serves as a host, guest, and speaker for many domestic programs.
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| Nguyen Ngoc Anh is the “leader” of many environmental campaigns. (Photo: Courtesy by author) |
Relentless efforts over six years have borne fruit. Fortune has smiled on Green Vietnam. After each campaign, whether large or small, volunteers unite with the organization to spread the environmental protection message to family, friends, and the online community. Consequently, the number of supporters continues to grow naturally.
This success is the result of the dedication and perseverance of Ngọc Ánh and the Green Vietnam team. No one expected a litter-picking movement that started with just a few people to spread nationwide. Even Ngọc Ánh didn't anticipate the journey reaching this far: “What I do is small, but if it touches others' hearts, many will join hands.”
From the quiet steps of picking up the first pieces of litter to campaigns with nationwide impact, Nguyễn Ngọc Ánh and Green Vietnam's six-year journey is a testament to the power of belief, perseverance, and community spirit.
These enduring efforts not only contribute to greener streets and rivers but also instill in hundreds of thousands of young people the aspiration to live green and responsibly with the Earth. Surely, this green journey will continue, so that each passing day sees more hearts beating in unison with the simple yet meaningful message: Protecting the environment is protecting our future!
