"Free kitchens" in coastal border areas.

In the early days of September, when the coastal town of Song Cau was still bathed in the dry, late-summer sunshine, the grounds of the Xuan Dai Border Guard Post became incredibly lively.

Steaming pots of rice and hot, fresh food were passed from hand to hand, filled with the dedication of officers, soldiers, and members of the Volunteer Club. Together, they lit up the "Zero-Cost Kitchen" - a simple model but one that carries so much warmth and human kindness.

Over the course of three days, the kitchen cooked and distributed 750 free meals to elderly people living alone, homeless people, poor patients receiving treatment at the Song Cau Medical Center, and struggling laborers in the area. “It’s been so long since I’ve had such a complete meal,” shared Mrs. Bui Thi Loi (Phuong Phu neighborhood, Xuan Dai ward), a patient at the Song Cau Medical Center, her eyes welling up with emotion. She had been hospitalized for many days, her health was weak, and her children and grandchildren lived far away. Her meals usually consisted only of a cold loaf of bread or a bowl of watery porridge. Now, sitting in front of a box of rice with meat, fish, and vegetable soup, she ate and smiled: “The rice tastes sweet with human kindness.”

Officers and soldiers of the Xuan Dai Border Guard Station and the Hanh Nguyen Club diligently prepared the meals.

Patients familiar with the "free kitchen" at Song Cau Medical Center now regard the border guards as family. They jokingly call it "soldiers' meals" and look forward to each meal, not only to satisfy their hunger but also to feel warmth and a sense of shared experience.

Many poor laborers struggling to make ends meet on the streets were overwhelmed with surprise and gratitude upon receiving a hot meal from the soldiers. One tricycle driver recounted: "Some days I only ate a packet of instant noodles, but now I receive free meals with soup and meat. Eating the soldiers' meal feels just like eating home-cooked food."

Major Vu Ly Huynh, Deputy Political Officer of Xuan Dai Border Guard Station, said: “During our field trips, we witnessed many poor patients receiving treatment who couldn't afford even a single meal. Some elderly people only ate a packet of instant noodles to get by, while migrant workers struggled with a bowl of watery porridge. Those images haunted us. That's why Xuan Dai Border Guard Station discussed with the Hanh Nguyen Club to initiate the "Zero-Cost Kitchen" model, hoping to support the people with simple but loving meals. Each meal we provide is an encouragement, a warm handshake. We want the poor and the sick to have less worry and more faith so they can return to their families and their normal lives soon.”

And so, every month, the officers and soldiers of Xuan Dai Border Guard Post, along with members of the Hanh Nguyen Club, light fires, cook, and prepare each meal meticulously as if it were for their own family. Since its implementation in early 2025, the kitchen has provided more than 6,750 free meals to elderly people living alone, poor patients, struggling laborers, and homeless people.

Major Vu Ly Huynh visited and personally handed out meals to residents in Song Cau ward.

For members of the Hanh Nguyen Club, this is also an opportunity for them to share love, making each charitable trip more fulfilling. Nguyen Vu Thanh, the club's leader, shared: "Seeing the elderly and poor patients emotionally receiving the meals, we understand even more deeply the meaning of the word 'companionship.' Hanh Nguyen is not just a name, but a way of life, a promise."

For Xuan Dai Border Guard Station, the kitchen is not only a charitable activity but also an integral part of their ongoing journey with the local Party committee and government to implement social welfare policies.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202509/bep-an-0-dong-noi-bien-gioi-bien-43c161f/