Hue, Da Nang cities set up free ‘rice ATMs’

Donors in the central city of Hue have set up a 'rice ATM' in the city to help underprivileged people that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • COVID-19: Two new cases push national total to 260
  • Over US$300,000 raised to help needy against COVID-19
A 'rice ATM' in Hanoi - Illustrative image (Source: touitre.vn)

A 'rice ATM' in Hanoi - Illustrative image (Source: touitre.vn)

Donors in the central city of Hue have set up a 'rice ATM' in the city to help underprivileged people that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Volunteers at colleges in the city set up the first site at the Phu Xuan private college at 28 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street on April 11 to give 2kg of free rice for each person.

They said donors have been supplying free rice to poor local residents at several sites in the city to avoid large crowds gathering.

Donors in Thua Thien-Hue province also collected 4,000 face masks, 1,000 hand sanitiser bottles and 4 tonnes of rice to hand over to two provinces – Salavan and Sekong in Laos – to support the fight against COVID-19.

The Da Nang City Young Businessmen Association also said it would set up two free ‘rice ATMs’ to help poor people in Da Nang from next week.

Chairman of the association Ha Duc Hung said the first ATM would be installed at Trung Nu Vuong Street in downtown Hai Chau district before being spread to more locations in Hoa Vang, Cam Le, Thanh Khe and Lien Chieu districts.

The association has collected 40 tonnes of rice from donors in the city, and there are plans to gather more.

He said the free rice ATMs would operate till end of June.

Earlier, free rice ATMs were installed in HCM City and Hanoi to help poor people during COVID-19 pandemic.

A charity in Da Nang has also presented 1,500 bottles of watermelon juice to doctors, nurses and medical workers at COVID-19 frontline hospitals in Da Nang.

The group said it had bought 1.5 tonnes of watermelon from farmers in Quang Ngai province to help clear overloaded stocks at farms.

VNA

Other News

Communication drive promoted for 500-day campaign to locate, identify fallen soldiers' remains

Communication drive promoted for 500-day campaign to locate, identify fallen soldiers' remains

Under the plan, all central and local media outlets are required to launch columns on the campaign, maintain regular coverage, and produce at least five to seven in-depth reports each month in key search areas. Media agencies will also be encouraged to gather and verify valuable information and develop high-quality products in both Vietnamese and foreign languages, including feature articles, documentaries, reports and short videos.

First Vietnamese pagoda in Tokyo inaugurated

First Vietnamese pagoda in Tokyo inaugurated

Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu expressed confidence that the establishment will serve as a strong spiritual anchor for Vietnamese people living in Japan while contributing to friendship and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

National drive kicks off to protect, support children online

National drive kicks off to protect, support children online

Cyberspace now runs through children’s learning, entertainment, and daily lives, but warned it is laced with dangerous content, online insults, threats, and seemingly harmless clicks that can trigger fraud, data breaches, and risks children who are not yet equipped to handle.

Vietnam, RoK scholars discuss diplomatic perspectives amid modern East Asia

Vietnam, RoK scholars discuss diplomatic perspectives amid modern East Asia

A scholar has stressed the need for Vietnam to make use of cooperation opportunities arising from the RoK’s foreign policy, particularly in semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence (AI), supply chains, digital transformation, and green energy, as well as chances in multilateral diplomacy.

'Barefoot inventor' and global ambitions

'Barefoot inventor' and global ambitions

Pham Van Hat is best known as the creator of the made-in-Vietnam “Seed Sowing Robot,” now exported to 15 countries, alongside dozens of practical inventions that have eased labour for thousands of farmers.

Safeguarding fairness for creators, future of Vietnam's culture

Safeguarding fairness for creators, future of Vietnam's culture

Films, music, television programmes, e-books, video games, journalistic works, images and creative data can now be copied, edited and redistributed within minutes. While copyright violations were once linked mainly to pirated discs or counterfeit books, infringements have shifted online with faster speed, wider scale and greater anonymity.

Flower tribute ceremony honours President Ho Chi Minh in Russia

Flower tribute ceremony honours President Ho Chi Minh in Russia

Consul General Nguyen Viet Kien stressed President Ho Chi Minh’s reputation and career transcended Vietnam’s borders to inspire liberation movements worldwide, and that his ideas on the right to self-determination, peace, and friendship among nations remain deeply relevant today.

Education ministry targets five digital technology incubators at universities

Education ministry targets five digital technology incubators at universities

A key target under the new plan is the establishment of five digital technology incubators, or Deeptech Hubs, at universities and research institutes with strong potential. The education ministry also plans to launch a training programme for 1,000 outstanding technology entrepreneurs and develop criteria for selecting and supporting startup ecosystems within educational institutions.

Vietnam steps up implementation of ethnic affairs strategy through 2030

Vietnam steps up implementation of ethnic affairs strategy through 2030

To accelerate the implementation of the the Ethnic Affairs Strategy by 2030, with a vision toward 2045, the Prime Minister requested ministries, agencies and local authorities to continue thoroughly carrying out the Party and State’s policies on ethnic affairs, enhancing the effectiveness of State management and strengthening oversight of policy implementation.

Security preparations reviewed for APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc

Security preparations reviewed for APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc

The team examined the APEC 2027 Convention Centre, where main conference activities are scheduled; Sun Serenia Hospital, designated to provide healthcare and emergency medical services for delegates; provincial road DT.975, which connects Phu Quoc International Airport to the convention centre; and the area surrounding Phu Quoc International Airport.