Hanoi: A total of 48 student volunteers from 41 institutions of higher learning (IPT) are participating in the Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa (YSS) Students Volunteer Mission: Green Summer Volunteer Campaign Vietnam 2026, from July 18 to Aug 21. The National Unity Ministry said the mission reflects its continued commitment, through YSS, to strengthening the culture of volunteerism among university students at the international level.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the mission builds on the strategic partnership between YSS and Vietnam, established in 2013 through participation in the Green Summer Volunteer Campaign (GSVC), a programme organised by the Ho Chi Minh Youth Union since 1994. The programme brings together more than 100,000 youths and university volunteers each year to carry out a month-long series of volunteer and community development activities.
This year, the student volunteers will be deployed to three locations -- Kim Long Commune, Phu Loi Ward, and Trung My Tay Ward -- where they will undertake volunteer work alongside their Vietnamese counterparts. The ministry said the Malaysian volunteers would also have the opportunity to engage with local communities, including the Cho Ro community, one of Vietnam's indigenous ethnic groups, through cultural exchange activities and community engagement programmes.
Among the key projects identified for the mission are the construction of a friendship house and a youth park, mural painting, the installation of playground facilities, tree-planting activities, and English language classes for the local community. Meanwhile, National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang stated that since 2013, YSS had sent 562 student volunteers to participate in volunteer missions in Ho Chi Minh City.
This continued collaboration reflects YSS' role in strengthening ties between Malaysia and Vietnam through volunteerism and people-to-people diplomacy. The spirit of volunteerism instilled in young people through this programme not only nurtures a generation that is caring, magnanimous, and responsible, but also supports the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI, which emphasise the values of compassion, respect, and well-being. Aaron added that such missions provide a platform for youths to appreciate cultural diversity, strengthen the spirit of unity, and contribute to community well-being at the international level.
This year's mission also involves 45 international volunteers, comprising 15 from Indonesia and 30 from Laos and Cambodia, further strengthening regional volunteerism networks and promoting the spirit of cultural exchange among ASEAN youths.