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

Saturday, November 22, 2025, 18:20 GMT+7

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

On Friday morning, large crowds of Vietnamese and foreigners flocked to 14 stations of metro line No. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City to deliver relief supplies for central Vietnam’s flood-hit communities, as the stations opened collection points for donations.

Vietnamese and foreigners join hands to send aid to flood-hit areas - Ảnh 1. — Yoan, a French national, comes with his daughter to Thao Dien metro station in Ho Chi Minh City to drop off essential items and instant noodles for residents in flood-hit central Vietnam, on November 22, 2025. Photo: Tri Duc / Tuoi Tre

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.

Vietnamese and foreigners join hands to send aid to flood-hit areas - Ảnh 2. — Duc Tam from the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company Limited transports relief goods from the collection point at Saigon Opera House station to the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee. Photo: HURC

Vietnamese and foreigners join hands to send aid to flood-hit areas - Ảnh 3. — Staff from the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway No. 1 Company assist contributors, guide them to label, sort, and hand over their donated goods. Photo: Tri Duc / Tuoi Tre

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.

Vietnamese and foreigners join hands to send aid to flood-hit areas - Ảnh 4. — Trang, a resident of the former District 4, brings several bags of essential supplies she had purchased early in the morning to donate to flood-affected communities on November 22, 2025. Photo: Lam Ha / Tuoi Tre

“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.”

Ho Chi Minh City mobilizes urgent relief effort for flood-hit central provinces

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.

Vietnamese and foreigners join hands to send aid to flood-hit areas - Ảnh 5. — Living near Thao Dien Station, Ngan buys snacks and instant noodles and brings them to the station to contribute to the relief effort. Photo: Tri Duc / Tuoi Tre

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.