Hanoi Christmas Kitchen founder is Canadian expat, Naim Hydal (Photo Facebook of Naim Hydal) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A group of Hanoi expats isgiving something back to the city they now call home.
Together they have launched Hanoi Christmas Kitchen, aproject preparing and giving hundreds of gifts to the city’s less fortunate.
Started last year, the project has since attracted many morepeople.
Basic hygiene products such as toothbrushes, soap and towelsare among the gifts that many have received from the Christmas Kitchen.
“We thought there were a lot of poor people in the cold in Vietnamduring December. At home, Christmas is the time when we give to people, so wethought why don’t we do something similar here," said Naim Hydal, aCanadian musician who has been living in Hanoi for nearly four years - and theinitiator of the project.
“Why hygiene products? I think it’s a good thing togive, something that people need. I know some of the people that live under theLong Bien Bridge. They live in very bad condition so I hope to help them have abetter outlook,” he added.
In addition, this year the group also prepared more than 250free meals which they cooked themselves and delivered on December 9.
The event was supported by Den, a café and bar in Yen Phu Village, Tay Ho districtthat provided the group with a kitchen as well as the location for thefundraiser. The volunteers prepared the ingredients and cooked all the mealsthemselves.
The gift packages and meals were delivered to poor patientsand homeless people by members of charity groups called Am (Warmth), Sunshineas well as the volunteers from the Foreign Trade University before Christmas.
“Christmas Kitchen project is a simple idea. There is nocorporation. We can do this as a group of friends. Everybody takes a role, forexample, somebody went to local businesses or shops,” Hydal continued.
“Lots of restaurants donated quite a lot, which was probablyone of the greatest things. And we also raffled to make money to buy all of thesupplies and then contacted the charity groups.”
It took the volunteers nearly two weeks to prepare for theproject by launching two events – one was held to raise fund on December 2,which included the venue vibes, live music, a raffle, carnival games, and gamesof chance all with prizes donated by businesses around Hanoi. The second one,held on December 9, was for cooking all the food and wrapping gifts.
“It was my idea but everybody else joined in, particularly myfriend Leah Fairchild, who did all the contacts for charities and the buying,”said the 36-year-old musician, who is a member of Rebel Monk band.
“We all met here in Vietnam. Everyone came together, even my band’s friends. Weall play music and we all know each other, so everyone just helped out quickly,despite our limited time. The project is a big group effort.”
Last year, Hanoi Christmas Kitchen raised over 25 million VND(1,098 USD), which was given to the charities the project was working with.
Hydal said he was lucky to a part of the expat community in Hanoi,particularly as a musician performing in the city. This helped him know alot of people always willing to help.
“I hope that the project will keep going with orwithout me. I hope the idea will stay for the generations.
“This is a growing city. There are big gaps between the richand the poor, and people can really the see the difference. I believe we shouldalways take care of each other. Charity begins at home and I now call thisplace my home, so I want to do something better for it.
“If you want to do something for society and people, you donot need a lot of money, but just a great business idea and a strong team. Thatis the blessing we have with everybody involved,” Hydal said.-VNA
Together they have launched Hanoi Christmas Kitchen, aproject preparing and giving hundreds of gifts to the city’s less fortunate.
Started last year, the project has since attracted many morepeople.
Basic hygiene products such as toothbrushes, soap and towelsare among the gifts that many have received from the Christmas Kitchen.
“We thought there were a lot of poor people in the cold in Vietnamduring December. At home, Christmas is the time when we give to people, so wethought why don’t we do something similar here," said Naim Hydal, aCanadian musician who has been living in Hanoi for nearly four years - and theinitiator of the project.
“Why hygiene products? I think it’s a good thing togive, something that people need. I know some of the people that live under theLong Bien Bridge. They live in very bad condition so I hope to help them have abetter outlook,” he added.
In addition, this year the group also prepared more than 250free meals which they cooked themselves and delivered on December 9.
The event was supported by Den, a café and bar in Yen Phu Village, Tay Ho districtthat provided the group with a kitchen as well as the location for thefundraiser. The volunteers prepared the ingredients and cooked all the mealsthemselves.
The gift packages and meals were delivered to poor patientsand homeless people by members of charity groups called Am (Warmth), Sunshineas well as the volunteers from the Foreign Trade University before Christmas.
“Christmas Kitchen project is a simple idea. There is nocorporation. We can do this as a group of friends. Everybody takes a role, forexample, somebody went to local businesses or shops,” Hydal continued.
“Lots of restaurants donated quite a lot, which was probablyone of the greatest things. And we also raffled to make money to buy all of thesupplies and then contacted the charity groups.”
It took the volunteers nearly two weeks to prepare for theproject by launching two events – one was held to raise fund on December 2,which included the venue vibes, live music, a raffle, carnival games, and gamesof chance all with prizes donated by businesses around Hanoi. The second one,held on December 9, was for cooking all the food and wrapping gifts.
“It was my idea but everybody else joined in, particularly myfriend Leah Fairchild, who did all the contacts for charities and the buying,”said the 36-year-old musician, who is a member of Rebel Monk band.
“We all met here in Vietnam. Everyone came together, even my band’s friends. Weall play music and we all know each other, so everyone just helped out quickly,despite our limited time. The project is a big group effort.”
Last year, Hanoi Christmas Kitchen raised over 25 million VND(1,098 USD), which was given to the charities the project was working with.
Hydal said he was lucky to a part of the expat community in Hanoi,particularly as a musician performing in the city. This helped him know alot of people always willing to help.
“I hope that the project will keep going with orwithout me. I hope the idea will stay for the generations.
“This is a growing city. There are big gaps between the richand the poor, and people can really the see the difference. I believe we shouldalways take care of each other. Charity begins at home and I now call thisplace my home, so I want to do something better for it.
“If you want to do something for society and people, you donot need a lot of money, but just a great business idea and a strong team. Thatis the blessing we have with everybody involved,” Hydal said.-VNA
VNA
