Muong Bo is located at an altitude of more than 1,000m, a place where many ethnic minorities with limited medical and educational conditions live. In villages far from the center, health workers have few opportunities to update first aid skills, while people and children are not fully equipped with knowledge to handle emergency situations such as drowning, injuries, foreign body snoring, bleeding, broken bones, and splints.
The local available medicinal herb resources have not been effectively exploited due to a lack of identification and use skills. From that reality, the Floriaid group - founded by Le Minh Ngoc, an 11th grade student at Hanoi High School for the Gifted - Amsterdam - has coordinated with doctors and experts to organize theoretical lessons combined with practice. People are instructed on first aid, identification and treatment of medicinal plants. After each class, families are given notebooks to apply and pass on knowledge to the next generation.
On August 10, a delegation from Hanoi went to Sa Pa, donating clean water tanks, necessities and supporting the construction of a community library - where children can access books and documents on health and the environment. Exchange activities and games are also organized to create cohesion with children.
August 11 was the focus of the trip with a first aid workshop, guiding the handling of emergency situations. At the same time, people are taught to identify and use safe medicinal plants. In the afternoon, the group and the people planted a medicinal garden at Nam Kenh library, creating a project of long-term value for the community.
On August 12, at Sapa Hope Center, volunteers guided children in personal hygiene, basic self-defense exercises, organ lessons and game exchange. This is also an opportunity to share about climate change, natural disaster risks and the role models of poor and studious students.
Floriaid aims to create a long-term impact through education and practice. exchanging knowledge is also giving the community the key to a better future. Every first aid skill, every understanding of medicinal plants is not only useful today but can also be replicated for future generations Le Minh Ngoc shared.
For Muong Bo people, this journey is a summer of knowledge, love and hope; for young people participating in the project, this is an opportunity to mature and spread the spirit of living for the community.
