The field trips were part of the "No voice, No equal future" project organised by the For Vietnamese Stature Foundation (VSF) and the district’s Department of Education and Training.

Twenty journalists and communication officers from many press agencies and social organisations like Nhan Dan (People), Dan Viet (Vietnamese People), Lao dong (Labour), Cong doan (Trade Union), Tuoi tre (Youth), VTV Digital, VTC, VOV, and the Centre for Eco-community Development partook in the two field trips.

Over two days, each team had the opportunity to connect with local people and hear their stories in the villages of Van Ho and Long Luong.

Journalists and communication officers were informed about the general area before the field trip

Tran Hong Diep, deputy director of the VSF, coordinated the two field trips, with professional advice from Dinh Duc Hoang, deputy general director of the UNESCO Information Centre and former editor of VnExpress and Lao dong newspapers – who is also an expert with extensive experience in creating multimedia marketing and journalism products.

The field team working with Song A Phu, deputy director of Van Ho district’s medical centre

Interviewing representatives from the Women’s Union and Youth Union about child marriage and domestic violence in the region

The field trip highlights the VSF’s efforts to encourage young journalists and communication officers to become agents of change, truly participating in the process of promoting equity and equality with a new perspective in the media.

As a result, these young reporters will have a strong and effective voice, highlighting the needs, aspirations, and thoughts of other young people, especially ethnic minority youth.

Journalist Hong Phuc from the People’s Army newspaper recording stories during the field trip

After the trip, journalist Hong Phuc said, “I feel that this was a really meaningful trip, especially for young reporters like me. It was a great opportunity for us to access information and expand our resources for news articles that can promote equality in general and gender equality in particular.”

After this field trip, the VSF’s "No voice, No equal future" project continued to launch a media campaign of the same name with the message Modern Gen Z is not afraid to speak up. The campaign serves as a call to action by ethnic minority youth and other stakeholders to promote gender equality, and summarises the project activities and outcomes.