Longing for Trà Vân…

The tight hugs and gentle smiles have become a lingering memory for the students of Phan Chau Trinh University as they journeyed to the highland commune of Trà Vân, Da Nang City, in the “Warm Winter for the Highlands 2025” program.

Trà Vân lies precariously halfway up the majestic Trường Sơn range, shrouded in mist all year round. The people here live in harmony with the forest — relying on it for food, shelter, and livelihood. Their villages nestle against the mountainside, with clouds drifting above. The winding road leading into the village becomes slippery and treacherous during the rainy season. Life remains difficult for many residents: makeshift houses barely withstand the wind, children shiver in thin clothing with cracked lips in the early winter chill, and the elderly struggle with daily tasks as food and necessities are limited.

They depend on the forest — planting in the forest, receiving what the forest can offer. But the recent floods have made farming even more challenging, leaving deep marks on lives that were already filled with hardship. To the people of Trà Vân, every donated gift is more than instant noodles, rice, or a warm jacket — it is warmth carried into the cold winter, a reminder that no one is left behind.

Residents of Trà Vân receive the gifts.

Understanding this, students of Phan Chau Trinh University called for donations and gathered items contributed by generous benefactors. Every jacket, every pack of noodles was carefully sorted and prepared for the “Warm Winter for the Highlands” journey.

At exactly 1:30 PM on December 5, the bus carrying nearly 40 students departed for Trà Vân, bringing with them gifts filled with love and kindness. The nearly 200 km journey felt much longer as the team crossed mountains and winding roads damaged by landslides. As darkness fell and the highland rain turned colder, the trip grew even more challenging.

After 7 hours of traveling, the students arrived, settled in, and rested. Trà Vân’s night was freezing, trees stripped bare, people curling up under thin blankets. Yet before dawn, the students were already awake, each taking on a task to prepare the gifts for the day’s program.

At 8 AM on December 6, villagers young and old from Hamlet 4 gathered at the former Trà Vinh Commune Hall. That morning, the students delivered 70 Tet gift sets, 70 children’s gift sets, and over 2 tons of essential goods at the “zero-cost market,” including clothes, food, and household supplies.

Carrying multiple bags of donated essentials, Ms. Hồ Thị Đàm (Hamlet 4, Trà Vân) walked home with difficulty. Her crops near the stream were damaged during the November floods, making life more challenging than ever.

“When the village announced that a group from Da Nang was coming to give gifts… thank you so much. Without this, we wouldn’t have food to eat. The floods ruined all our rice,” Ms. Đàm shared.

In the afternoon, the students held an educational session for children on preventing common winter illnesses, as well as a workshop on gender equality delivered in an engaging and accessible way. Ten study encouragement gifts were also presented to local students. At the same time, another group visited households to install 10 solar-powered lights for the villagers.

That evening, in the glow of the crackling campfire, students and highland children held hands and sang together — creating memories of connection that everyone wished to hold onto.

The flickering firelight illuminates the campfire night.

The trip concluded as sunlight gently warmed the highlands. On the way back, watching the small houses fade behind the mountains, many students felt their hearts remain in Trà Vân. It was more than a charity journey — it was a place where young people learned to love, understand, and share.

The warmth left behind in Trà Vân may be small, but it is enough to spark hope — that even in the harsh winter, the people of the mountains are never forgotten. And for the students of Phan Chau Trinh University, the memories of gentle smiles and firm handshakes from the highlands will remain long after they return home.