"Solidarity" restaurant

(Baonghean) - Although it has only been in operation for nearly a year, the restaurant "Doan Ket" of Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, a technician at Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital, has become familiar to patients and their families. True to its name "Doan Ket", coming here, patients feel like they are coming home, gathering around a cozy family meal. And poor patients with difficult circumstances are truly warmed by the meaningful meal...

Every day, the “Solidarity” restaurant is crowded with customers, mainly patients, so the owner arranges a pot of boiling water for customers to wash their own dishes and chopsticks before eating. Rice is served according to demand and each meal is sold at the customer’s requested price. Patients and their families gather around neat and clean dining tables.

The precious thing is that when coming to this restaurant, poor patients and those in difficult circumstances all receive charity meals that the restaurant donates.

For the past 10 days, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh (Nghi Van, Nghi Loc) has been coming to the restaurant three times a day to receive free meals for her son who is being treated for pneumonia at the hospital. Both her husband and she are farmers and are in poor health. Her son has a congenital disease and has to go to the hospital regularly for treatment, making the family's finances even more difficult. She was moved: "Thanks to your help, my son and I can eat hot, delicious meals instead of having to pack rice every day like before. In times of trouble, receiving such practical care and help is truly precious."

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, owner of the "Solidarity" restaurant, kindly visited and served the patients who came to eat at the restaurant.

Those meaningful meals have truly warmed the hearts of poor patients. For Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, the owner of the solidarity restaurant, the happiness of patients is the goal and aspiration that he has nurtured since he first entered the medical profession. The job of an X-ray technician, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital often involves contact with patients, with all kinds of circumstances, many difficult fates, unfortunate lives. He has witnessed many poor patients, hospitalized for treatment but they have to save, run around for each meal and make efforts to help them ease their difficulties.

The “Solidarity” restaurant owned by him was born from a chance encounter with a French friend. Mr. Hung shared: “Once by chance, I met Mr. Jarques Bourgaine, President of the Vietnam - France Friendship Association - Vietnam Côtes d'Armor Association. When I presented my very practical and humane volunteer idea, he was very supportive and agreed to support the construction of a social protection center; in which he would sponsor 8/10 of the construction costs and seek medical equipment sponsorship. While waiting for the completion of procedures and seeking equipment support to open a clinic, I opened the “Solidarity” restaurant to serve poor patients.”

The “Solidarity” restaurant has been operating since the beginning of 2015, providing free meals to poor patients every day. Over 40 poor patients, the disabled, and ethnic minorities have received charity meals from Mr. Hung during their treatment at the hospital.

Each meal at the "Doan Ket" restaurant only costs 10-15 thousand VND, so every month Mr. Hung has to spend his own money to cover the restaurant's operating costs. Sympathizing with the kind-hearted owner, many customers have come to the "Doan Ket" restaurant hoping to contribute a small part to support his charity fund.

Although busy with his professional work, after work, Mr. Hung returns to the restaurant, bringing meals and bowls of porridge to patients to help them reduce treatment costs, overcome difficulties, and move towards a better life...

Moonlight