"Smile Noodle Shop" at 17 Thai Thi Boi (Chinh Gian Ward, Thanh Khe District, Da Nang City) has no signboard. The name of the shop was given by customers because each bowl of noodles costs only 1,000 VND or can be "paid" with a smile.
Ms. Hue prepares different types of noodles according to everyone's taste. PHOTO: NGUYEN TU
The shop is fully prepared from instant noodles, eggs, sausages, raw vegetables, lemon, chili...
This is the premises rented by Ms. Tran Thi Bich Hue (36 years old) to open a spa service. In front of the shop, she and a few friends opened a "smile noodle shop" to serve poor workers, students and pupils in difficult circumstances. From 4 o'clock, her staff goes to the market, prepares ingredients to welcome workers to eat. She chooses instant noodles, sausages, and eggs to ensure the noodles are always hot and comply with food safety.
Ms. Hue’s 1,000 VND noodle shop has become a familiar destination for lottery ticket sellers, motorbike taxi drivers, scrap collectors, construction workers, and students. Customers continuously come and go from early morning to late at night. Seeing her work tirelessly, many customers want to serve themselves; many people in the area and neighbors also join in to help.
Ms. Hue shared that besides regularly participating in charity activities such as giving rice and free meals to help patients at hospitals, she realized that there are many difficult situations in society when prices are escalating and the cost of living is expensive in the city center, so she thought of ways to help people save money even for just one meal.
With the "smile noodle shop", she does not do business and does not receive money directly from customers. The price tag of 1,000 VND/bowl of noodles is only symbolic; if customers want to pay, they can still pay by putting 1,000 VND in a hanging paper box so they don't feel embarrassed after eating. "I put the price tag of 1,000 VND/bowl of noodles with the hope that people who come to eat will have a comfortable mindset of "paying what you pay", no one owes anyone, creating a feeling that everyone is respected. In fact, I just hope that after eating, they feel happy and smile, and I am satisfied. My wish is to maintain this noodle shop until I am no longer able to work, trying my best. I will use the 1,000 VND/bowl of noodles I earn at the end of the year to continue the charity program for children in the mountains", Ms. Hue shared.
A 1,000 VND bowl of noodles includes a pack of instant noodles, sausage, chicken eggs, raw vegetables, boiling water... depending on the taste of the eater. The bowl, chopsticks, stainless steel spoon, and stainless steel shelf are neatly arranged and cleaned regularly. Although the number of customers is increasing and the expenses are increasing, Ms. Hue does not call for or accept support from benefactors, including cash or food.
Also in the center of Da Nang City, on Tran Tong Street (Thac Gian Ward, Thanh Khe District), there is a charity bread cart with the "hanging bread" model. The model was initiated by Ms. Vo Thi Thanh Thao (30 years old) in October 2024 to help poor workers. Besides selling bread, every day she sets aside a few dozen loaves with full fillings to give to people in need. Some friends found the model interesting so they also donated more bread.
Mr. Le Hong Nam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Chinh Gian Ward (Thanh Khe District), said that the locality highly appreciates the community-oriented hearts of organizations and individuals, especially businesses, for the disadvantaged. The locality regularly directs professional departments and associations to pay attention to and visit business owners, commend and guide the models to become more and more effective, operate better, and provide timely support so that these humane models can spread further.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tiem-mi-nu-cuoi-18525041818414083.htm
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