Haly Hely Group has delivered Christmas presents to people experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough on the streets in Nha Trang City to bring them warmth and happiness on weekend nights...
Haly Hely Group has delivered Christmas presents to people experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough on the streets in Nha Trang City to bring them warmth and happiness on weekend nights.
Haly Hely group members gathered in the park opposite Nha Trang Railway Station at 9p.m, carrying 30 gifts containing blankets, handkerchiefs, drinking water, fresh milk, medicated oil, bread and cakes for the homeless.
“This is an annual activity of the group every Christmas season to help the homeless and severely disadvantaged working as cyclo riders, lottery ticket sellers, metal scrap collectors, etc in the city. We are reaching out to people experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough on streets or in temporary accommodations,” says Pham Thanh Toan, Head of Haly Hely Group.
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At 10 pm, the group members spread out to such streets as 2-4, Le Hong Phong and so on to deliver gifts to street people. Pham Thanh Toan in a Santa Claus outfit together with his companions went along 2-4 Street to give useful gifts to the homeless sleeping on the street. Getting the gift, Le Thu with her little child sleeping on the street near Vinh Hai Market felt touched, saying, “We are from Ha Tinh. I tried looking for a job but I still couldn’t find one. Thanks to the kindness, we have cakes, milk and blankets to keep us warm at night.”
The group also went through lanes of Dang Tat and Cu Chi where many lottery ticket sellers are staying. At 11pm, all of them returned home after a hard working day. They were so happy at the volunteers’ arrival. Tuan, a lottery ticket seller from Ninh Binh Province says, ‘We are given a free accommodation by a generous woman. Everyone here is old far from home, earning income from selling lottery tickets. Every day, we get out to work until 11. We are so happy and grateful to the gifts from volunteers.”
All the gifts were handed out when it was nearly midnight. The volunteers were tired but so excited. Joining the charity group for several years, Tran Le Ngan Ngoc, 28 years old, says, “At Christmas, it often gets colder and the less fortunate people even need more support and help. Therefore, the gifts are not much but they mean a lot to the needy. The volunteer work also helps me feel life more meaningful and fulfilling.”
Ha Phong
Translated by N.T
