71-year-old veteran in Can Tho and 0-dong kitchen for 5 years
Can Tho - Despite his old age and not being as healthy as before, the veteran still regularly gathers in the kitchen, never complaining or feeling tired.
equivalent to waking up at 3am to cook rice for the poor
In a small kitchen located in Cai Rang ward (Can Tho city), for the past 5 years, veteran Nguyen Tuan Tai (71 years old) has been regularly setting the fire, cooking rice three times a week to distribute free to the poor, sick people and people with disabilities. "The kitchen of Love for Teamwork" - the affectionate name that many people call this place is not only a place to share meals, but also a support for the miserable lives in the heart of the city.
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, Mr. Tai wakes up at 3am. In the small kitchen next to the yard, he washed rice, set the heat to cook rice, while his wife and two daughters prepared salty dishes, stir-fried vegetables, soup, and canned it. Each session, about 100 meals are given to disadvantaged people being treated in hospitals or living in poor boarding houses.
Although it is a charity meal, his family always takes care of the menu: alternating dishes, full of salty dishes, stir-fried dishes, vegetable soup, and occasionally fruit, cakes or sweet soup. All meals are carefully canned, heat-reserving and hygienic.
"The poor have been poor all their lives, they cannot be left to eat temporarily. Each meal is a kind thing that I want to send to them, said Mr. Tai, still rolling his hand to divide the rice into the box.
More than 50 years ago, Mr. Tai was a special forces soldier of Division 305, participating in the campaign to enter Tan Son Nhat airport in 1975. After retiring in 2005, he returned to live in Hung Thanh ward (now Cai Rang ward) and held the position of Head of the Veterans Association Branch of Region 3.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, witnessing many patients and workers losing income and not having enough money to eat, Mr. Tai and his wife and children decided to open a zero-dong kitchen. Initially, the family cooked the rice themselves and brought it to the hospitals. Later, when the epidemic subsided, he set up a stove at home and distributed rice on the spot to make it more convenient for people to receive.
By 2024, the kitchen was officially named "Childhood of Love kitchen", as a reminder of the spirit of sharing, leaving no one behind that he always kept in mind from his time in the army.
Working with the heart and contribution of the community
The kitchen operates entirely with voluntary contributions. Mr. Tai's family deducts from their two daughters' pensions and online sales income. Many people in the area, when they learned about his work, also brought rice, vegetables, and fish to support.
Not only does he sell rice, he also takes advantage of the vacant land near his house to grow clean vegetables for the kitchen. He often collects bottles and plastic cans and gives them to bott collectors - poor people who come to receive rice every week.
"Some are deaf, some are paralyzed in one hand, some are lottery ticket sellers who raise three grandchildren. They come often, I miss each person, each situation. When I have more, I give it to them, Mr. Tai shared.
A kitchen, many fates are supported
Ms. Pham Thi Ut (63 years old), a lottery ticket seller who often comes to receive rice, was moved: "Without this kitchen, I would have to sell dozens of more lottery tickets to have enough money to buy rice. With some food to bring home, I feel very comfortable.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hai (55 years old), who is paralyzed in one hand, often comes to receive 5 meals to give to patients living in the boarding house, sharing: "I am constantly sick, living thanks to the community. Having such a clean and complete portion of rice, I am both grateful and hope to help others, so I often go to help others."
In addition to giving meals, Mr. Tai also often visits his former teammates, provides rice, food and encourages them. Mr. Tran Thanh Dung (68 years old), a veteran of Hung Thanh ward, said: "Mr. Tai lives a loyal life, is close and responsible for his teammates. His work has made many of us volunteer to help and maintain this kitchen.
Despite his old age and not being as healthy as before, Mr. Tai still regularly gathers the kitchen, never complaining. For him, this is a way of life to continue the ideals of soldiers.
"I won't live forever, but I hope the fire of this kitchen will continue to be preserved by my children and grandchildren. Like I contribute pensions, my daughter contributes income from selling - that's enough to keep the fire burning," he said emotionally.
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