The aunties’ kitchen

All members of the kitchen are aged 50 and above, and they consistently cook four days each month to serve workers and hardworking students. This initiative is a heartfelt “stop” at the Zero-VND Kitchen (An Quy Hamlet, Tan Hung Commune, Dong Nai Province), where each seemingly modest meal is always filled with warmth and human kindness.

The students are the “special” guests of this kitchen.

Zero-VND kitchen – Warm hearts, full stomachs

“The aunties’ kitchen” is the affectionate name for the Zero-VND Kitchen operated by the Huu Thien Charity Club in An Quy Hamlet, Tan Hung Commune. Specializing in vegetarian meals, the kitchen fires up its stoves on the 14th, 15th, 29th, and 30th days of each lunar month. During the seventh lunar month, the kitchen operates continuously to serve the local community throughout the month.

On cooking days, the kitchen courtyard is already lit by 5 a.m. Some volunteers sort vegetables and prepare ingredients, while in another corner, wood-fired stoves burn steadily as other members stir-fry, cook, and prepare the dishes. Using vegetables, roots, and fruits donated by benefactors, the women plan menus and prepare a variety of vegetarian dishes that are both visually appealing and nutritionally balanced, ensuring a flavorful and satisfying meal for everyone.

Le Thi Than, a member of the kitchen staff, shared: “Now that I’m older and no longer do heavy work, I spend my time helping in the kitchen. Seeing everyone enjoy their meals makes me very happy.”

Each time the stoves are lit, the Zero-VND Kitchen prepares around 500 lunch servings with more than 20 different dishes. Cooking meals for students and the underprivileged is no easy task for those who are older, but for the kitchen members, everyone takes joy in the fruits of their labor.

“We have never thought of it as hard work to serve others; on the contrary, everyone feels genuinely happy. Cooking can be tiring, but when we see people enjoying their food, all the fatigue disappears and we feel uplifted,” shared Tran Thi My Lan, the “head cook” of this Zero-VND Kitchen.

Designed as a self-service meal, from 10:30 a.m. onward, locals arrive to choose the dishes they like. The meals are presented beautifully, allowing diners to pick their favorites, creating a sense of joy for both those giving and those receiving.

Le Thi Ngoan (from Tra Thanh – Lo O Hamlet, Tan Hung Commune) expressed: The meals here are delicious and free. The ladies are very enthusiastic, cooking flavorful dishes with great affection.

At the Zero-VND Kitchen, the “special customers” are local students. Although they could go home to have lunch with their parents after school, on the days the kitchen is open, they consistently gather here to eat together. Tasty and heartwarming are the feelings that the meals evoke.

In addition to her own efforts to keep the kitchen running, Lam Thi Kim Phung also encourages her siblings and children to lend their support. Her pioneering spirit serves as a source of motivation for the members of the Zero-VND Kitchen, who, despite the weariness of age, continue to uphold their dedication.

Vu Van Tai, Head of the Zero-VND Kitchen

A stop filled with love

Bringing hearts together, few know that behind the kitchen is the quiet role of Lam Thi Kim Phung, Deputy Head of the Huu Thien Charity Club. Three years ago, at nearly 70 years old, she mobilized people and her own family to start this kitchen with the sole purpose of spreading love to the community. Over the past three years, some benefactors and local vendors have become aware of the initiative and have contributed rice, vegetables, and fruits. Delicious meals and the smiles of those enjoying them are Phung’s joy.

“I believe that everyone has a charitable heart and the ability to do good,” shared Phung. “With money, you can do many good things; with little, you can still do small acts to help others and live decently. Doing more can be tiring, but seeing the children and elders enjoying their meals and praising the food makes me truly happy, because it means my efforts are being appreciated.”

To prepare delicious meals, Phung makes every effort to collect whatever is donated before each cooking day, ensuring that no act of generosity goes to waste. At 70, her motorbike riding is no longer steady, so she relies on her children and grandchildren to take her around. From jackfruits and bunches of bananas to bundles of vegetables, she gathers everything she can to bring back to the kitchen and turn into flavorful dishes.

She also encourages other members to join in making and selling traditional cakes, such as banh tet (a cylindrical glutinous rice cake) and banh it (a small, sticky rice cake often filled with mung beans or coconut), to raise additional funds for the kitchen. From the kitchen members to those who know her story, everyone is moved by the meaningful work she does.

In life, love, compassion, and the willingness to give are expressions of the enduring values of our people, as exemplified by the phrases “The healthy leaf covers the torn leaf” and “Love others as you love yourself.” The Zero-VND Kitchen, founded by old women and men, is made up of humble individuals performing truly noble acts. These good deeds are like “seeds,” helping cultivate a society with more love, happiness, and kindness. In doing so, they also support local authorities in effectively implementing social welfare initiatives, promoting sustainable poverty reduction, and enhancing the quality of life in the community.

By Thanh Nga – Translated by Dang Huyen, Minho