Free meals are delivered to poor patients at Da Nang Hospital every Friday. (Photo: baodanang.vn)

At 11 a.m, with the temperature already at 38 degrees Celsius, the kitchen of Ms. Ho Thi Hong Hoa begins to prepare for dinner.

Hoa gets up at 4 a.m. to go to the market to get fresh ingredients for nutritious porridge or rice dishes. At 10 a.m, all group members gather at her house to prepare meals for poor patients.

In the beginning Hoa used her own money to prepare 100 free portions. Since then she has mobilized people in the neighborhood to help. Now she cooks 400 portions a week.

Hoa says the idea came to her 7 years ago when she visited a relative being treated at Da Nang hospital. She met other patients undergoing kidney dialysis. Most of them were in economic difficulty.

Hoa used to be a small trader at An Cu market in An Hai Dong ward and sometimes donated money for free meals.

“I visited people in the hospital several times and realized they were having financial problems because they had been sick for a long time. I decided to raise money and cook free meals for them. Sometimes I prepare 6 meals a week,” Hoa said.

At 4 p.m, more than 400 meals are delivered to Da Nang hospital. The group’s charitable activities have attracted many benefactors. A young director learned about the group and now donates 88 USD a month to the program. A mother with a disabled son receives 300 USD per month and donates one third of it to less fortunate people.

Nguyen Quang, a 65-year-old group member, said he and others are happy to use their own money to help the disabled and the ailing.

“I’m trying to do as much as possible to help others because I’m still healthy. It makes me happy to bring happiness to others. Although the work is hard, their lining up for free meals warms my heart,” Quang said.

Charity group 1C also gives gifts to the poor and disabled in remote areas of Quang Tri, Thua Thien -Hue, and Quang Nam provinces.

Nguyen Quang Huy, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of An Hai Dong Ward, says that each year, the Front raises 880 USD for the group.

“We respect what Ms. Hoa and her husband and their group have done over the years. We have asked authorities to replicate the model nationwide,” said Huy.