Three students from the Hai Phong Maritime University and the Central College No. 2 are on a trans-Vietnam walk, which started from the northern coastal city of Hai Phong, to call for the people to protect the environment.

The three male students, who are members of the Hai Dang voluntary group, including Tran Thang (fourth-year student of the Hai Phong Maritime University), Nguyen Hong Thai (first-year student of the Hai Phong Maritime University) and Tran Son Tung (third-year student of the Central College No. 2), left Hai Phong on June 27 to make a 1,800km journey to HCM City’s Nha Rong Wharf.

It is estimated that the journey would take 47 days. During the trip, the three students will deliver 50,000 pamphlets guiding people how to protect the environment and collect around 20,000 signatures for environmental protection commitments.

The three students arrived in the central province of Thanh Hoa on July 1.

Thang said that the group planed to conduct this trip in 2010, but until now they could realize it to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the day President Ho Chi Minh left HCM City’s Nha Rong wharf, to seek the way to liberate the country and 65th anniversary of Hai Phong’s liberation.

“We want to train ourselves and to send a message of environmental protection to the people through this journey,” Thang said.

The three youngsters did many jobs to earn only VND6 million ($300) for this trip. They have to tighten their belts with this little money. They also practiced walking and did exercises to prepare good health for the journey.

In their first days, the group was sometimes discouraged when they walked through desolate roads, where there are no trees. After five days, they had to starve themselves one night because they were out of money.

“Some companies wanted to sponsor our trip but they requested us to where T-shirts with their logos. We refused because our journey would lose its good meaning,” said Thang, the group leader.

The three students aim to walk 50 km within 10 hours a day (4-9 am, 4-9 pm). Each three days they would have a free day to see volunteers and social organizations in the locations where they pass.

The group plans to arrive in HCM City on August 10. After attending some social activities there, they will return to Hai Phong by train.

One day of the three walkers:

PV