A corner of the zero-đồng mini-supermarket at the Hiệp Bình Phước Culture and Sports House in Thủ Đức City. — Photo courtesy of PNJ

HCM CITY — A charity store with more than 60 essential items for daily use will remain open until July 4 at the Hiệp Bình Phước Culture and Sports House in Thủ Đức City to succour people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The zero-đồng mini supermarket, as these have been dubbed, stocks food items such as sugar, milk, rice, eggs, cooking oil, fish sauce, seasoning, monosodium glutamate, instant porridge and noodles, fresh foods, vegetables, and fruits, besides medical supplies.

More than 200 families in Hiệp Bình Phước benefit from it, with each household receiving three tickets worth VNĐ200,000 (US$8.7) each to pick up goods from the store.

Set up by Phú Nhuận Jewelry, it is open from 8am to 5pm every day, and people have to stagger their visits to ensure not too many people gather at a time amid the pandemic.

The stores are part of the Vòng tay Việt programme carried out by PNJ, the city Department of Industry and Trade, the Business Association of High Quality Vietnamese Goods, Young Employee Assistance Centre, and HCM City Association for Women Executives and Entrepreneurs.

The programme also includes delivery of essential goods to locked down and quarantine areas to support residents as well those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight in HCM City.

Cao Thị Ngọc Dung, PNJ chairwoman, said, “The zero-đồng mini supermarket chain … is helping people temporarily forget their financial worries amid the pandemic.” — VNS