Summer camp Yen Son, Ba Vi 2022
Within the program of the Asia Foundation funded by the Merali Foundation scholarship, the Center of Education and Development (CED) cooperates with Yen Son commune authorities, the Women’s Union, and the Youth Union of Yen Son commune to create an opportunity for the students who receive scholarships to participate in volunteer activities, upholding the spirit of community through organizing a summer camp program for children in Yen Son commune, Ba Vi district, on 27–28/08/2022. After three group meetings in July and August 2022, students carefully prepared for the summer camp program, with the object of providing fun and useful lessons alongside necessary skills for children.
Contents of the summer camp: The program took place over two days, 27- 28/08, at the House of Culture in Yen Son commune, Ba Vi district.
On Saturday morning, after introducing the summer camp, students organized a warm-up game, ‘Guess the Words’, which was enthusiastically responded to by the children. After the game, the students were instructed by the teachers to divide into small groups. They named the groups and created a slogan, then each group representative went on stage to introduce their group. After that, the children gathered in groups under the guidance of the students to play the game ‘Go to Market’. Lots of creative menus were presented by the children. In the afternoon, the children continued to participate in outdoor activities; they had a paper airplane folding competition, practiced summer camp dances, and conducted practical science experiments on water purification. In the evening, within the summer camp program, students who received scholarships in their 2nd and 3rd years performed alongside the Yen Son Commune Youth Union dancing team. The vibrant performances attracted the people of Yen Son commune, who came to see and join. After the performance, the students gathered together to light a campfire and have some cake and sweets. The first day of summer camp ended with a blissful atmosphere.
On the morning of the second day, students continued to organize exciting outdoor games such as spreading dracontomelon with spoons, stealing flags, and the game ‘Where to Live?’, as well as guiding children to sort waste by playing the game ‘Throwing Garbage into the Bin’. After playing fun games, the children listened to the conclusion of the summer camp and took souvenir photos.
There are many advantages to the program: we always receive the support of commune authorities, the Women’s Union and the Youth Union of Yen Son commune, the Center of Education & Development, and the Asia Foundation and the Merali Foundation in organizing activities for female students within the scholarship program; commune authorities, the Women’s Union and the Youth Union of Yen Son commune have provided requirements and created a suitable environment for organized summer camp; all the students participating in the summer camp program are enthusiastic, friendly, and actively engage in summer camp activities; the office staff are also enthusiastic and dedicated throughout the summer camp.
Throughout the program, children in Yen Son commune gained interesting and necessary practical knowledge and participated in exciting outdoor games. The students have accumulated more experience in coordination, organization, teamwork, and public speaking skills when guiding children to participate in summer camp activities. Moreover, the program also creates memories, brings children and students closer together, and delivers positive things to the community. Tran Xuan Huong, HUST scholar said: “Yen Son summer camp is the first summer camp that I attended. However, there are still many surprises and inevitable shortcomings due to my inexperience. This is a really meaningful experience for me. The children are really smart, quick, and very fond of their sisters. Being involved in organizing activities, I feel myself more confident, more mature and learn a lot more. Hope to see you all again in the upcoming meaningful activities and thank you to everyone in the Merali scholarship fund for helping me have such a wonderful and memorable experience.”
