Vietnamese, foreigners join hands to send aid to flood-hit areas

Among them, a French national who went by Yoan and came with his daughter to Thao Dien Station to drop off essential items and instant noodles.

As he placed the bags in the collection area, Yoan said he had lived in Vietnam for nearly ten years and considered it his second home.

He said it was heartbreaking to read online that provinces he had visited, such as Dak Lak and Lam Dong, suffered heavy damage from the floods.

After learning about this donation campaign, Yoan and his wife immediately packed some items to contribute.

“I hope everyone stays safe,” he said.

At the collection points, staff from the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited which operates the metro line, were on hand to assist contributors, guide them in labeling their donations, sort the items, and transport them to the designated collection areas.

A will to help

At Ben Thanh Station, Trang, a resident of the former District 4, hurriedly brought several bags of essentials she had purchased early that morning.

She had previously transferred money to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee but, upon seeing social media posts about metro stations accepting donations, she immediately went to buy instant noodles, pastries, and prepare four more bags of clothes.

“As long as I can help and have the means, I will continue to contribute,” she said. “It is so heartbreaking. People need us now, so I try to do my best.”

Since she learned about the campaign a little late, she was only able to prepare some items for the day’s donations.

She is now asking friends and family to buy more noodles, water, and milk for the next donation drive on November 24.

Others, such as Kiet Tuong from Binh Quoi Ward and Ngan from Thao Dien Ward, said they learned about the campaign through the press, social media, or friends.

To keep the public informed, announcements at all 14 metro stations continuously updated passengers on donation times and procedures.

After receiving the donations, staff load the items onto special vehicles for transport to Ben Thanh and Saigon Opera House stations, the main collection hubs for the system.

They will later be transferred to the support center of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee chapter in Ho Chi Minh City before being delivered to people in need in flood-hit areas.