Labourers need to leave home to earn money, but their earnings have dropped since the coronavirus outbreak spread, especially the closure of non-essential businesses began on 1 April following Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc's mandate in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A woman receiving a free meal

In an effort to help daily wage earners, contractual labourers and the needy in Da Nang get through the pandemic, Mr Nguyen Binh Nam, Leader of the ‘Ban Thuong Nhau’ Charity Club in the city, and some of his friends, have made fundraising appeals from domestic generous donors to provide meals for those who are financially struggling amid the coronavirus crisis. Mr Nam and his friends are trying to help low-income earners partly ease their financial burden during the pandemic.

Vital meals help low-income earners save small amounts of money for their families during the pandemic

Nam said he and his friends are providing 500 portions of rice daily from 6-16 April to daily wage earners including Grab Bike drivers, trash scavengers, and lottery ticket sellers at 515 Ton Duc Thang, 592 Dien Bien Phu, and the intersections of Phan Chau Trinh and Hung Vuong streets, Hai Phong and Ong Ich Khiem streets, and Nguyen Huu Tho and Trung Nu Vuong streets. 

A Grab Bike driver cleaning his hands before receiving a free meal

Mr Ho Ngoc Thanh who is preparing meals for those in need in the city said that the menu changes daily to provide nutritious meals including vegetables, chicken, fish, and eggs for them. He noted that portions of vegetarian rices are offered on the 1^st and 15^th days of the lunar month.

Thanh also said that he always wears face masks and protective gloves, as well as cleans his hands when preparing and providing meals for those in need in order to ensure the food safety and hygiene, and prevent the virus spread.

“In order to limit the spread of the virus, low-income earners are required to stand in line, but keeping space around each other, at places to provide meals for them” Thanh remarked.

Red markings on the ground at 291 Phan Chau Trinh to require people to ensure there is a 2m distance between them

69-year-old Ngo Thi Lan, a trash selling vendor, couldn't hide her emotion when she received a free meal from kind-hearted people in Da Nang. She said she usually drinks water for lunch instead of eating since the city officially entered two weeks of heightened social distancing on 1 April.

65-year-old Tran Binh, a Grab Bike driver, said he was struggling to earn a living as passenger numbers plummet due to the impacts of the virus pandemic. He remarked free meals helped him save small amounts of money for his family during this difficult time.

Free meals are also available for the poor and the low-income earners at 291 Phan Chau Trinh and 31 Yen Bai.

By LAM PHUONG - Translated by MAI DUNG