Since 2017, Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen has given nearly 200,000 free meals to the homeless and poor.
Although she is a single mother and her economic life is still difficult, for the past 8 years, Ms. Do Ngoc Ha has kept the fire of Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen burning, giving hundreds of thousands of free meals to the poor and homeless in Ho Chi Minh City.
The kind mother who drives a motorbike taxi
Visiting Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen at Hamlet 15 (former My Hoa 1), Trung Chanh Commune, Hoc Mon District, Ho Chi Minh City on a January day, we were invited by Ms. Do Ngoc Ha to enjoy vegetarian dishes according to the 4 vegetarian days (14th, 15th, 30th and 1st), and on Sundays of the month the kitchen will cook savory dishes, with a variety of foods to serve the people.
Ms. Ha (born in 1987) is both the founder and President of the Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen Charity Association (under the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union). She said that in the past, she drove a motorbike taxi so she often came home late at night. On deserted streets, she met many homeless people who still had to go out to find food. For them, a full meal was boundless happiness. She said that once, in the late evening, a child about her child's age ran out to block the front of a car to beg for food because he was so hungry. She felt so sorry that she thought she had to set up a kitchen for the homeless. In 2017, with the support of everyone, Ms. Ha established the Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen Charity Association and has maintained it until now.
As a single mother, she had to work twice as hard to raise her children, and many nights at 2am she still drove passengers. However, she always encouraged herself that "I am suffering, but there are many people suffering more than me". Therefore, Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen is like her brainchild, helping her feel happy every day when she can give and help others. Since 2017, Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen has given nearly 200,000 free meals to homeless people and patients being treated at Hoc Mon General Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, and Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, with a total amount of about 3.5 billion VND.
In addition, the association has also given hundreds of thousands of meals and drinks to the COVID-19 prevention force, organized zero-dong booths to serve the poor, and given social security gifts on holidays... with a total cost of about 2.4 billion VND.
Meaningful models
According to Ms. Ha, in addition to the Loving Meal model that has been maintained since its establishment, the association also maintains social models such as the "Lost Information Corner" model to provide information to people who have lost wallets, luggage, and personal documents. Through the kitchen's social networking page and personal page, Ms. Ha has provided information to find lost items for more than 20 people.
The association has a monthly "Sharing Love" model, taking care of 15 members in difficult circumstances and 2 members of the Farmers' Association of Trung Chanh commune, 12 students in difficult circumstances, giving them each a gift worth 300,000 VND including: rice, noodles, cooking oil, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce... In addition, the association promotes the "0 VND Market" model to help the poor. The association has mobilized social resources to organize 15 0 VND markets including vegetables, fruits, and old clothes. At the same time, it coordinates with local health care to provide free health check-ups for the elderly when participating in the market and distributes free medicine with a total resource of 50 tons of vegetables and fruits, worth about 300 million VND, carried out in the communes of Trung Chanh, Dong Thanh, Tan Thoi Nhi, Xuan Thoi Dong... of Hoc Mon district. "The Association also organized 16 free food stalls to serve the poor and disadvantaged people in Quang Nam, Long An and Lam Dong provinces with a total amount of more than 80 million VND and coordinated to organize a program to take care of 98 disadvantaged children at Hong Quang Shelter (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) with a total amount of 15 million VND including necessities and daily items for the children" - Ms. Ha said.
Free vegetable and fruit stall by Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen. (Photo provided by the character)
In particular, the association also has a model of "Gratitude to the Silent" by giving meals and mineral water (1 week/3 days from 30 - 50 meals/day) to environmental sanitation workers on the streets in the city. In addition, the association also has a program "Supporting the Future" and has supported 1 laptop, 3 motorbikes, 300 sets of textbooks and countless school supplies for poor students worth about 1.2 billion VND.
Ms. Ha represents the association in donating motorbikes in the program "Supporting the Future". (Photo provided by the character)
Ms. Ha also actively encouraged members to participate in local activities such as environmental sanitation and disease prevention. Although she is a woman, Ms. Ha volunteered to join the Standing Militia Self-Management Team of Hamlet 15. "I participated in supporting people at night such as first aid for traffic accidents, emergency hospital transfers, tire patching, tire tube replacement in Hoc Mon district and have performed first aid and vehicle repair for more than 200 cases" - Ms. Ha said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Ha did not hesitate to risk her life driving a tricycle to transport necessities to serve people during the period of social distancing in the district. When she saw that people in the northern mountainous region were severely affected by storm Yagi, Ms. Ha and her members mobilized 50 million VND and 3 tons of necessities to give to people in Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, and Lao Cai provinces. She also volunteered to directly participate in relief efforts in Binh Phu commune (Chiem Hoa district, Tuyen Quang province). In addition, the association also organized and participated in programs such as Mid-Autumn Festival for Children, March Border Program, Fueling Tradition, Journey to Dien Bien Phu, etc.
Mr. Tu Ba Hung, Vice President of the Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen Association, said: "Currently, the association has 40 members, including 15 core members. In addition, the events also attract many other volunteers to participate in support. We come from many different social sectors, old and young, but we all share the spirit of volunteering. Under the leadership of Ms. Ha, we are always united and do our best to support people in difficult circumstances."
Incubating many big projects
Her work and volunteer work make Ha go to work early and come home late, and she is busy all day, but she does not forget to spend time with her daughter. She always educates and shares with her about the meaning of volunteer activities. "I hope that when she grows up, she will not only be able to take care of herself but also share and help those in need," she said.
Ms. Do Ngoc Ha received the 2024 National Volunteer Award
When talking about her future plans, her eyes lit up with hope. She said she was nurturing a number of larger-scale community projects, such as long-term care for orphans, the elderly, the disabled, and creating jobs for vulnerable workers.
The 8-year volunteer journey is not too long, but with the determination and solidarity of all members of the association, Ms. Ha believes in this beautiful dream. "The Hoa Tu Tam Kitchen Volunteer Association will organize many more meaningful and sustainable programs to help people across Vietnam in general and in Hoc Mon district in particular" - Ms. Ha said.
Join hands to protect the environment
Ms. Ha said that the widespread activities over the past time were thanks to the cooperation of philanthropists who accompanied and supported, as well as local organizations that created favorable conditions and enthusiastically coordinated. Ms. Ha always strives to promote the internal strength of the association by organizing sales, exchanging items and voluntary contributions from members. Specifically, the association has coordinated with mass organizations of Xuan Thoi Dong commune to launch the program of exchanging trash for vegetables and spreading the message of environmental protection.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/cuoc-thi-viet-long-tot-quanh-ta-nguoi-me-giu-lua-bep-hoa-tu-tam-196250228221732629.htm
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