By Lê Hương

(with an additional interview by Minh Phương)

Every day at around 4.30pm, Vũ Thị Thoa, a farmer from the northern province of Ninh Bình, queues for low-cost food in front of the National Geriatric Hospital in Phương Mai Street, Hà Nội.

Her husband is being treated at the hospital as he had a sudden stroke.

She just has to pay VNĐ5,000 (less than 20 US cents) for the meal, though the real price is five times higher.

“The food is so tasty,” she says. “I appreciate the project’s founder to offer us such a low-priced meal with high quality. Patients from other provinces like my family have many difficulties. My husband and I are breadwinners of the family, and we are all here. My husband gets treatment while I’m here taking care of him. Such a cheap meal helps us quite a lot.”

Thoa is among thousands of needy people who get a special discount here every day. The initiative is run by the "Cơm 5,000 Hà Nội" group, a charity of young volunteers.

Established more than 10 years ago, the team now gathers over 30 volunteers, mostly students, who prepare food and distribute it in three areas: Bạch Mai Hospital, Lung Hospital and Vân Đồn Labour Market, all in Hai Bà Trưng District.

They offer rice meals six days per week with a total of 160 portions per day and on Sunday, they offer porridge and some snacks.

HELPING OUT: Voluntary students prepare food. VNS Photo Lê Hương

Volunteer Bùi Xuân Sơn, a student from Hà Nội Open University, says at first the team offered food for free, then later, they charge only VNĐ5,000 per portion so that people find it much easier to accept the food.

“I have joined the club for 6 months now,” Sơn says. “I want to make a small contribution to ease the hardship of needy people.”

Sơn says he was excited to join a programme distributing 500 food portions last month.

“When I distributed the food, I found many people in serious circumstances,” he says. “When they say thanks to us, I feel so happy and peaceful inside as I have done something good for the community, especially needy people.”

Sơn says he thinks the charity model will develop more as there are always good people willing to help those in need.

MODEL OF KINDNESS: A needy person (left) takes food from a volunteer of 'Cơm 5,000 Hà Nội' team. VNS Photo Mình Phương

Ngô Huyền Ngân, another volunteer from the University of Sciences and Technology, says she joined the club by chance as she found the charity group on TikTok.

“I have some spare time, and I want to share work with the group,” she says. “My duty is to prepare and distribute food to people in the three areas. The food portions are small, but they are really useful to people in need, who can save some money for other purposes. My work is so meaningful.”

Ngân says that though she works hard to prepare food, she feels happy as she sees happy smiles on the beneficiaries’ faces.

“In comparison with them, I feel I’m much luckier. I have sufficient material conditions. I don’t have trouble with my health,” Ngân says. “I will work here during my student life.”

Sơn says paying VNĐ5,000 -- just a symbolic, small sum of money -- people do not feel inferior about taking "free food".

“The team also uses the money to maintain operations and organise field charity trips to mountainous areas,” he says.

“For me these are very tasty meals,” says Nguyễn Văn Hùng, a patient at Hà Nội Lung Hospital.

Hùng says he feels happy as he still gets love and passion from the community with so many good people.

TIME TO EAT: People queue for low-cost food at the National Geriatric Hospital in Phương Mai Street. VNS Photo Minh Phương

“I think that I’m still lucky to get the positive power from such young people,” he says. “I think I should try my best to overcome my disease and live longer. Life is still beautiful.”

The team also hosted other meaningful activities such as offering gifts to local children at the Full Moon Festival, gifts to children at Tết (Lunar New Year festival) in remote areas in Hà Giang Province, and free meals to COVID patients during the pandemic. VNS