The Seoul National University Global Social Responsibility Group (SNUSR) has been volunteering in Vietnamese province Binh Dinh since 2015. It is the group’s representative overseas project, with more than 500 volunteers having participated in the summer and winter trips to Binh Dinh thus far. Providing a continuing supply of clean drinking and domestic water is the main focus of SNUSR and the Vietnamese volunteers in Binh Dinh. In recognition of these efforts made over a period of six years, SNUSR has received a letter of appreciation by the Foreign Office of Binh Dinh province.

Letter of appreciation from the Foreign Office of Binh Dinh province, Vietnam

Despite Vietnam’s fast rate of development, Binh Dinh province, one of the poorest regions in the country, is still plagued by environmental problems such as water pollution and landfill oversaturation. Since 2015, SNUSR has focused on installing water purification systems using wells and rainwater to provide clean drinking water for children in local schools. The water purification systems have been installed and maintained in a total of 10 schools in the region.

Water purification system installed at Nguyen Dieu High School in Binh Dinh province, Vietnam

In addition, the schools were transformed into a space of sharing – SNUSR conducted educational activities to instil global awareness and promote understanding of the environment and water resources, and cultural sharing activities aimed at understanding cultural diversity. SNUSR also hosted events such as eco-forums together with professors and students at Quy Nhon University, government officials and environmental public corporations, with the aim of sustainably urbanizing Binh Dinh province.

Even as overseas volunteer trips were suspended due to COVID-19, SNUSR planned the “2020 Winter Digital Volunteer Group in Vietnam” program. Through online communication with local Vietnamese volunteers dispatched onsite, the remote volunteer group was able to conduct maintenance of the 10 water purification systems, provide educational support, and facilitate cultural exchange through cultural performances. Successful delivery of these programs was possible only through the dedication of the local Vietnamese volunteers and the active help of the local community, with which SNUSR has built a strong relationship with over many years of service. “The successful maintenance of the water purification systems, administrator training, and student education, all of which were handled directly by local Vietnamese members, was an amazing opportunity to reaffirm that the core of sustainable development is the independent participation of local communities,” a representative of SNUSR said.

2020 Winter Digital SNUSR Volunteers in Vietnam

The letter of appreciation provided by Binh Dinh province to SNUSR is not the fruit of any single person’s efforts overnight. Professor Han Moo-young (College of Engineering) and his team provided the foundational design for the water purification systems. Park Soon-ho, director of Glory & Tech, a water purification technology company, provided guidance on system maintenance. VESS, an appropriate technology campus club, demonstrated collective intelligence at the forefront of SNUSR's volunteer work. Professor Hwang Jun-seok (College of Engineering) and his team allowed for the use of the Arduino system to check flow rate in real time. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Company provided generous financial support, while moral and physical support was offered by partners such as Korea Vietnam Cultural Communication Center, Yongsan-gu, Quy Nhon city and Quy Nhon University. Most of all, the progress made in Binh Dinh’s development is a reflection of the hard work of SNU students and faculty members who have participated in the SNUSR volunteer corps trips to the province, and of the determination of the many students and educators in Binh Dinh who have supported their own community and continue to make efforts toward maintaining a sustainable supply of clean water in Binh Dinh, and toward the development of the region as a whole.

While overseas volunteer programs have increased in number, they remain a hot-button issue in our society. During this time when many overseas activities have been suspended due to COVID-19, the case of the SNUSR Binh Dinh volunteer corps stands out as a valuable example for us to reflect on the future direction of overseas volunteer activities.

*This is a translated version of an article written on June, 2021.
Written by Minju Kim, SNU English Editor, minjukimm@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Professor Travis Smith, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, tlsmith@snu.ac.kr