Small but timely care
In the last days of the year, Da Nang city enters the peak of production and services. The amount of waste is increasing, construction is being urgently completed, and factories are continuously working overtime. For many environmental workers, security guards, and construction workers, Tet is not a holiday, but a series of stressful working days to maintain the pace of urban life.
In that context, the "Green Banh Chung" program of the Da Nang City Labor Culture House is not grandly organized, without a large stage, but it chooses the right location, which is where workers are working, where they stay to celebrate Tet, where trade union buses are about to set off.
One thousand banh chung cakes are distributed to six units, focusing on environmental teams in localities, industrial park workers and those who do not have enough conditions to return to their hometowns. That number is not too large compared to the labor scale of the whole city, but what is worth mentioning is the proactiveness and persistence maintained over many years.
At the worker housing area of Hoa Cam Industrial Park, many young workers choose to stay to save costs and send money home. Tet away from home often leads to a feeling of emptiness. When the Trade Union organization visits and gives cakes, the warmth is not in material value but in the feeling of being recognized and remembered.
For environmental workers working overnight, two banh chung can become a late-night meal between shifts. But deeper, it is a message that their silent contributions to the city are not forgotten.
From banh chung to community sharing network
A noteworthy point of this year's "Green Chung Cake" program is the ability to mobilize social resources. The Da Nang City Labor Culture House has mobilized more than 70 million VND from affiliated clubs and organizations and individuals in the area. This shows that caring for Tet for workers is no longer a private matter of the Trade Union organization, but is becoming a common responsibility of the community.
The cakes are ordered from reputable units, packaged solemnly. That meticulousness clearly shows the viewpoint: Tet gifts for workers are not a coping support, but a respect.
In the "Trade Union Tet Journey 2026" organized by the Da Nang City Labor Federation, many worker families receive cakes right before getting on the bus to return to their hometown. Some people see it as a gift for their parents, and some people consider it as bringing a little flavor and affection of Da Nang back to their hometown. From a pair of banh chung, the connection between workplace and homeland is extended by emotions.
According to Mr. Le Van Dai - Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City Labor Federation, the number of Chung cakes increases every year, reflecting efforts to expand care resources. But more importantly, care thinking has shifted towards concretization, avoiding formality, and focusing on the right target audience.
In the overall picture of Tet activities, "Green Banh Chung" is not the biggest program, nor is it the most expensive. But that simplicity creates depth. It evokes the traditional value of banh chung - a symbol of reunion and fullness - and puts that symbol in the hands of workers who are contributing to the city day and night.
When care is implemented through specific actions, the trust of union members in the organization is also strengthened. And in the new year transition, perhaps the most precious thing is not just the gift, but the feeling of being accompanied and shared on the journey of making a living.
The green banh chung given before the New Year is therefore not only carrying the Tet flavor, but also carrying the message of a practical, sustainable and increasingly spreading trade union work.
