Ho Chi Minh City dwellers are wrapping cakes and preparing shredded dried pork to send to communities affected by severe flooding. On November 23, the atmosphere of relief preparation was bustling from early morning. In every neighborhood, people contributed in their own ways, quickly assembling practical care packages to send to the hardest-hit areas.
At the Phuoc Thuan Border Guard Station in Ho Tram Commune, residents and border officers joined hands at daybreak to wrap traditional cakes. Some prepared ingredients, others wrapped the cakes, and others carried them to the cooking area. By late morning, 400 cakes were completed, boiled, and carefully packed for immediate transport to the collection point.
In Binh Chau Commune, work began before sunrise. Wood-fired stoves burned continuously as teams wrapped and tied cakes and sorted essential goods, barely stopping for rest. By noon, 400 banh tet rolls and various dried food items were ready to be shipped.
In Vung Tau Ward, the volunteer kitchen run by Thanh Thien announced it would operate its ovens for 12 consecutive days to support flood victims, with November 23 marking the first day. Local residents brought flour and sugar to contribute, then joined in kneading dough, shaping loaves, and baking bread together. Fresh loaves came out of the oven nonstop, immediately packed for same-day delivery. The steady work reflected the deep spirit of solidarity with people in the central region.
On the first day alone, more than a thousand loaves were baked. Despite different methods, relief kitchens and collection points across Ho Chi Minh City shared the same spirit of urgency, responsibility, and heartfelt care.
That afternoon, 54 year old woman, Pham Thi Tuyet, originally from Dong Hoa Commune in Dak Lak Province and currently working at a tarpaulin factory in Tan Uyen Ward, rode her bicycle to the “Bep Yeu Thuong” charity kitchen under the Tan Uyen Ward Red Cross. She brought a box of instant noodles and ten brooms.
In Tam Long Ward, the pace of relief preparation was equally intense. A local real estate group handcrafted 300 kilograms of shredded dried pork, dividing the work into small teams to maintain progress.
The woman revealed that her family's home in Dong Hoa was also half-submerged. She had been anxious to return for days, but most coach services were suspended, so she waited for a safer opportunity to travel home. Explaining the unusual gift of ten brooms, she said that growing up in the countryside taught her that once floodwaters recede, households urgently need simple tools to clean and restore their homes.
Meanwhile, Tran Ngoc Phuong, an employee at Hoa Phat Wood Company in Dong Nai, rode her motorbike to the charity kitchen carrying three boxes of instant noodles and a box of fish sauce to support those hit by storms and floods. Her home in Dak Lak Province’s Hoa Son Commune was also flooded, though her family remained safe. Facing the hardships back home, she wanted to contribute whatever she could to help others overcome immediate difficulties.
Nguyen Thi Le, head of the "Bep Yeu Thuong" Club, said that as soon as news spread about collecting relief goods for flood-stricken areas, many workers arrived to donate food, medicine, and household items.
Among the supporters on the afternoon of November 23 was M. Asif, a Pakistani national. He actively carried boxes from the truck into the receiving area. According to Tao Thi Hong Tham from the Tan Hiep Ward Women’s Union in Ho Chi Minh City, Asif, an English teacher, volunteered to join the relief effort as soon as he learned about the collection campaign.
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