"I want my son to learn how to protect the environment, starting with the smallest actions," said 52-year-old Hoai from Cau Giay ward.

Her 10-year-old son, Le Manh Duc, was sweating but insisted he wasn't tired. He proudly showed off the many plastic bottles and bags he had collected, aiming to clear all the trash on Kim Ma street before taking a break.

Thu Hoai and her son Manh Duc collect trash on Kim Ma street on the morning of 30/8. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Thu Hoai and her son Manh Duc collect trash on Kim Ma street on the morning of 30/8. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Also helping to clean up this street was 62-year-old Pham Huong from Ngoc Khanh street. She had welcomed six friends from out of town who were staying with her to watch the parade. At 4 a.m., the group gathered at the Kim Ma - Nui Truc intersection. Seeing raincoats, food wrappers, and plastic bags strewn across the ground beneath the crowds, they decided to collect the trash while watching the rehearsal.

"Compared to previous events, people were more mindful today. They collected their trash in one place instead of littering," Huong said.

Pham Thi Dung, 52, from Cau Giay (in pink) joins others in picking up trash left behind on Kim Ma street on the morning of 30/8. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Pham Thi Dung, 52, from Cau Giay (in pink) joins others in picking up trash left behind on Kim Ma street on the morning of 30/8. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Hoai, her son, and Huong were three of the 30 volunteers from "Hoi Yeu Rac" (Trash Lovers Association), a group founded in 2017 that now has about 2,000 members across several provinces and cities.

Dam Tien Thanh, 27, the group's coordinator for the Kim Ma street cleanup, said the biggest challenge was navigating the road closures and traffic jams. "We had to be flexible. Whoever was where, they cleaned up that area to avoid wasting travel time," Thanh said.

After nearly three hours, the volunteers collected more than 10 large bags of trash, which were then picked up by the sanitation department.

Some of the 30 volunteers who collected trash after the parade rehearsal on Kim Ma street on the morning of 30/8. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Some of the 30 volunteers who collected trash after the parade rehearsal on Kim Ma street on the morning of 30/8. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Duong Ngoc, the vice president of Hoi Yeu Rac, said the initiative stemmed from a desire to contribute to the nation's important celebration and ease the burden on sanitation workers.

After seeing images of trash left behind after previous rehearsals, the group called on its members to clean up two main streets, Lieu Giai - Kim Ma and Trang Thi, after the final rehearsal. About 200 people, including students, workers, and children, were expected to participate on 30/8.

"We hope to spread the message 'Vietnamese people do not litter,' encouraging everyone to take concrete action, no matter how small, to demonstrate their patriotism," Ngoc said.

Quynh Nguyen