RMIT students create warm winter for the poor

Tiếng Việt

RMIT students create warm winter for the poor

As Hanoi entered its coldest winter in a decade, students from RMIT Vietnam’s Business Chapter student group, along with several alumni, launched a campaign to provide disadvantaged people with warmth.

Bachelor of Business student Le Minh Chinh delivered blankets to a homeless woman during Hanoi’s recent cold spell.Bachelor of Business student Le Minh Chinh delivered blankets to a homeless woman during Hanoi’s recent cold spell.

The initiative, called Sưởi Ấm Đêm Đông, or Warm Winter, was led by Le Thanh Thuy and Le Minh Chinh. Upon seeing the winter forecast, they decided to help homeless people and poor patients at hospitals who had nowhere to go.

“They don’t have enough money, and they have to stay there [in the hospital] for a long time,” said Ms Thuy, a graduate of the Master of International Business program. “We hope to spread meaningful action to Hanoi’s young generations, and also get people together to do a meaningful thing.”

The project included eight lead organisers and began on 26 December, lasting until 16 January.

Their goal was to help 1000 disadvantaged people have a warmer winter, and through the nearly three weeks they collected VND90 million in cash, as well as VND25 million worth of items like cakes, candy and milk.

Le Thanh Thuy, one of the organisers of Sưởi Ấm Đêm Đông, said the project helped 1000 disadvantaged people.

“Overall, 50 people took part, and we visited four hospitals and two areas where homeless people live,” Ms Thuy said.

Looking back on the project, she emphasised the importance of having a vision when undertaking charity work.

“There are a lot of charity activities in Hanoi and Saigon, but many are spontaneous,” Ms Thuy said.

“They think poor people need help, and then a few people gather together and go. They don’t have a plan or schedule.”

Warm Winter, on the other hand, featured a specific plan and timeline, as well as several planned activities.

Looking ahead, Ms Thuy and her colleagues want to build on what they have achieved.

“I hope this project will live on, and every year we would have RMIT and a major company work with us in Hanoi,” she shared

“It’s not just one year. We want to create this not just in Hanoi too, but also in faraway areas like Ha Giang Province, since children in rural areas need even more help. We hope it goes from a small thing to a big thing.”