A charity concert entitled ‘White Blouse - Singing for Love’ which was organized by the ‘Rice Plate on the Wall’ Charity Club in Da Nang under the municipal Association of Charities and Children's Rights Protection returned to the city in early May, 2022 after a one-and-a-half-year hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The music event which took ‘Oh Dear Life!’ as its main theme was held in the Dao Xanh (Green Island) area. Such event was created to raise money to support poor patients in Da Nang.

A song named ‘One Day Left to Live’ sung by nurses, doctors, and volunteers who are members of the Da Nang-based ‘Rice Plate on the Wall’ Charity Club. Photo: DAN TAM

An evening of great music featuring artists, healthcare workers and volunteers, most of whom are young people in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City aimed to raise funds for poor patients, as well as connect donors and those in need.

More than 2 years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘Rice Plate on the Wall’ Charity Club in Da Nang has played important role as a bridge between donors and poor patients. During the period, doctors, nurses and volunteers who are the club’s members have been in active to raise funds for poor patients in a bid to hand out free hospital meal vouchers to these patients at the Da Nang General Hospital, the Lung Hospital, the Hoa Vang Hospital, the Traditional Medicine Hospital, and the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.

“The organisers just hope that such music event will be held regularly in order to ensure the continuity of operations of the food fund for poor patients. This will help many poor patients overcome their circumstances as the free meals help them reduce the financial burden and feel secure when receiving medical treatment," said Phan Thi Xuan Trang from the ‘Rice Plate on the Wall’ Charity Club in Da Nang who is in charge of organizing the charity concert.

According to Ms. Trang, 7 music events organised by the club have attracted great deal of attention from the public, especially donors. They attended such events to not only enjoy music and listen to the lyrics of songs, but also spread love and kindness to poor patients through their cash donations in an effort to provide free hospital meals for them.

Inspired by the story of two cups of coffee – “One On The Wall” – set in Venice, Italy, the "Rice Plate on the Wall" Program was first launched in Ho Chi Minh City, and then in Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province. It has been deployed in Da Nang since June 2019.

“One On The Wall” in Venice tells the story that visitors who come to enjoy a drink do not forget to pay a bit extra to support the effort of the coffee shop's owner to serve a cup of coffee for free for any in need.

"This charity program raises fund through the club’s fanpage and its periodical evening music events. It features non-profits, publicity, transparency and legality as well as ensures that the donor and the recipient do not know each other, so the donations go to help poor patients in a non-graceful manner,”, Mrs Truong Dieu Linh, Vice President of the ‘Rice Plate on the Wall’ Charity Club in Da Nang, said.

Money raised from the club-organised music events are used to offer free hospital meal vouchers worth VND 20,000 to VND 25,000 VND each (depending on meal costs at each hospital canteen in Da Nang).

After nearly 3 years of operations, the "Rice plate on the Wall" program has supported thousands of poors patients in Da Nang’s hospitals through offering more than 77,000 free hospital meal vouchers totalling over VND 1.5 billion.

Besides, this charity program donated VND 50 million to support the construction of Tac Trac School in Nam Tra My Mountainous District, Quang Nam Province in 2020. On average, the program monthly gives out more than 5,000 free hospital meal vouchers to poor patients across Da Nang, and these vouchers are handed to them by hospital’s medical staff.

Free hospital meal vouchers allow poor patients to choose rice, noodles, porridge, pho and other foods that are available at hospital canteens across Da Nang.

The evening music event themed ‘Oh Dear Life’  on May 7 featured best songs with profound messages such as ‘Oh Dear Life’, ‘One Day Left to Live’, ‘Da Nang on a New Day’, and these songs deeply touched the audience’s hearts. The event’s organizers felt very happy as they received active support from singers and invited guests inside and outside of Da Nang in an attempt to offer more hospital meals to poor patients to inspire them to find the strength to overcome their illness.

Reporting by DAN TAM – Translating by H.L