A so-called ‘zero-dong’ fair which recently took place in An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang, attracted a great deal of attention from the public, especially needy housewives.

A senior woman receiving free-of-charge electric cooker and thermos flask at the fair

On a visit to this special fair, the first of its kind in the ward, anyone can buy any favourite items without payment, and just enjoys the bustling atmosphere and human sympathy here.

On display for sale at this fair are a wide range of used goods, including kitchen utensils, irons, clothes, footwear, bicycles, and other daily utilities for those in need.

A female resident Nguyen Thi Mai Hoa, 67, showed her delight at owning a non-stick frying pan, an electric fan, and a set of small bowls, all of which were offered free-of-charge at the fair.

“Despite being used, these second hand items are still in a good condition”, Ms Hoa cheerfully said.

Another needy shopper, Ms Nguyen Thi Thu, 45, was also very happy with her freshly purchased aluminium pans.

“Using these items help me save money on my poor family’s daily expenses”, the needy woman happily revealed.

The idea of organisation of the fair was developed by the An Hai Bac Ward Women’s Union. As their preparatory work for this event, the Union members appealed for local families to donate their used items for the fair. Afterwards, the collected items were cleaned and renewed.

The good idea by the Association really makes it easier for people to donate and more dignified to the receivers.

In reality, the poor are very in need of such necessities some of which they can not afford to buy due to their financial difficulties, whilst there are many families throw out a lot of used/unused clothes, materials as and when they get transferred, or for other reasons. That’s where the idea of the fair the gap through such useful store was developed.

The fair where everything is free has received high praise from local inhabitants thanks to its great significance, and it has also seen their active engagement in donation activities as well.

Ms Nguyen Thi Hong, the Vice Chairman of the An Hai Bac Ward Women’s Union, said that the ward is home to about 500 families still living below in the city’s poverty thresholds.

This fair, thereby, is seen as a form of mutual support activities, narrowing the gap between the givers and receivers.

Ms Hong vowed that in the coming time, such a so-called ‘zero-dong’ fair would take place every few months in a bid to satisfy the demand for daily utilities amongst needy families.