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| Women in Thuan An Ward preparing hot meals for flood relief |
On October 28, many areas in Hue City remained cut off and isolated as floodwaters rose. The Women’s Unions of local communes and wards quickly prepared 2,000 portions of rice meals, cakes, and drinking water to promptly support residents in flooded areas, on-duty rescue forces, and patients receiving treatment at Hue Central Hospital.
At the kitchen of Phat Thien Tam Charity Group (Hoa Duan Market, Thuan An Ward), smoke was already rising from the stoves. The women of the local Women’s Union and members of the charity group worked swiftly, some tending the fire, others washing rice or packing food, everyone was busy and focused. Each person took on a task, united by a shared purpose: to ensure that the warm lunchboxes would reach families isolated amid the floodwaters.
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| Delivering meals to deeply flooded areas |
In the morning, nearly 20 members worked together to pack over 400 meal boxes, neatly arranged and then loaded onto boats to navigate through flooded streets, delivering them to each household and to rescue teams working amid the floodwaters. That afternoon, the women lit the stoves once again, preparing another 400 meals to send to patients and their families receiving treatment at Hue Central Hospital.
Ms. Tran Thi Diep, Chairwoman of Thuan An Women’s Union, shared: “Seeing people in deeply flooded areas, where the water rose quickly and many had to call for help, including patients and their families in hospitals with no meals to eat, we couldn’t help but feel heartbroken. Out of compassion and the spirit of “The good leaves protect the tattered ones”, we called on our members and benefactors to join hands in sharing the hardships with those affected by the floods”.
On October 28, not only women’s union but also many volunteer and charitable groups across the city also contributed funds, went to the markets, and cooked meals to deliver to patients and their families at Hue Central Hospital.
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| Besides helping residents in flooded areas, the women also waded through the floodwaters to deliver meals to patients in Hue Central Hospital |
On the noon of October 28, friends of Mr. Thanh Doan from Phu Bai Ward, a relative of a patient at Hue Central Hospital, joined hands to support the patients. Mr. Viet Nhat’s group from Thanh Thuy Ward prepared 300 hot meal boxes, while Mr. Khuong Thinh’s group contributed another 100, all sent to patients and their families receiving treatment at the hospital.
By the afternoon, the volunteer groups continued cooking another 200-300 free meal boxes, promptly delivering them to patients despite disrupted transportation, food shortages, and deeply flooded roads. Those simple yet heartwarming meals became a great source of encouragement, helping patients and their families ease some of their hardships amid the prolonged days of rain and flooding.
Mr. Thanh Doan shared emotionally: “During the days of heavy rain and flooding, although the hospital canteen remained open, supplies were scarce, the streets were deeply flooded, and many eateries outside had to close temporarily. When we heard that patients and their families were running short of food, my friends and I joined hands to cook and bring meals to the hospital to help to ease their difficulties. The patients are already weary from illness and treatment, and now they have to endure the floods as well, that’s why this support truly means so much”.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, a patient’s family member from Duong No Ward, shared emotionally: “Yesterday, the floodwaters were so high that I couldn’t go out to buy food. When I received a meal from the volunteer group, I truly felt warmed at heart. It’s in times of hardship that we realize just how precious kindness and compassion really are”.