A cup of coffee costs 50,000 VND.

Journalists working in Quang Ngai province participate in the "50,000 VND Cup of Coffee" program. Photo: HUYNH VAN THUONG

Initially, hearing the name, I clicked my tongue and scoffed, thinking, "What kind of coffee is that?" Then, thanks to my acquaintance with fellow journalists in the province, I understood the "inner workings." The person who shared the most information with me was Huynh Van Thuong (a reporter from Quang Ngai Radio and Television Station), a member of the organizing committee for this program.

He told me that the program originated from the idea of ​​a "meal on the wall." Since 2016, the Quang Ngai Provincial Journalists Association has launched this program for the first time. And so, regularly on the first Saturday of each month, the association chooses a coffee shop and organizes the program. This is a way to raise money to help those in difficult circumstances. Thanks to this, many people with serious illnesses have received treatment, and poor students have been able to continue their education.

A cup of coffee costs 50,000 VND. Photo: HUYNH VAN THUONG

I remember most vividly the COVID-19 outbreak in Bac Giang . At that time, with the "50,000 VND Cup of Coffee" initiative, the Quang Ngai Provincial Journalists Association raised over 100 million VND and sent that amount to support Bac Giang province in its fight against the pandemic, under the slogan "Towards Bac Giang". To put it modestly, our provincial town was able to do something extraordinary, and the "50,000 VND Cup of Coffee" not only participated in social work but also contributed to a much larger effort, as the government viewed fighting the pandemic as fighting an enemy.

A drop of coffee is always bitter, but human kindness makes that bitterness sweeter and richer. As I write this, I suddenly remember the first two lines of the song "Improvisation on the Street" by composer Tran Tien: " In Hanoi , everything is cheap, except for friendship / In Hanoi, everything is cheap, except for human kindness." How expensive is that? Perhaps priceless. So now, reflecting on it, I realize that 50,000 dong for a loving relationship is still quite cheap.

(Entry for the "Impressions on Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" contest, part of the "Celebrating Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" program, 2nd edition, 2024, organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).

Graphics: CHI PHAN

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ly-ca-phe-50-ngan-196240320101843801.htm