Vietnam needs your help, now. Currently, Vietnam has only 3.8% vaccination rates amid rampant COVID spread and unprecedented deaths. With only 16 hospitals/clinics and an average of 2.6 hospital beds per 1000 people, Ho Chi Minh City’s hospitals are struggling to supply and treat patients after COVID-19 new variant, Delta, has been exposed within the city. Ho Chi Minh City is especially suffering right now, accounting for the majority of the country’s 271,037 COVID cases and 80% of deaths. With extended community lockdowns, food insecurity has a major issue for residents.

The pandemic has had significant effects on food insecurity in Vietnam due to its impact on food supply chains, changes in production, and localized food price increases. Most of Vietnam is largely dependent on outdoor markets and stands to buy their groceries; however, due to the strict lockdown rule, most of those markets are shut down, leaving people without an affordable option to buy food. Food insecurity is especially high in Ho Chi Minh City as it has a reported prevalence rate of 34% in HCMC, which is higher than the average for Vietnam. The disabled, elderly, and orphans are some of the most susceptible people in the city to food insecurity. There are approximately 2,900 orphans in the city and in the current pandemic they are even more vulnerable because of their lack of food and education which keeps them from attaining the money and resources they will need. In addition, there are approximately 897.5K people losing jobs while the number of unemployed was at 1.3 million. This is the highest unemployment rate the city has had in ten years.

The Van Academy Give 2 Save chapter will raise funds to provide food portions to impoverished families that are at risk of starvation in Vietnam given the severe pandemic. With the raised funds, we will supply families with rice, ramen, and fish sauce (Nuoc mam).

Our goal is to raise $10,000 from donations and fundraisers. $10,000 will help provide ~1,200 portions for families in Vietnam. Each portion will include 1 bottle of fish sauce, 1 box of ramen, and 5kg of rice. The total cost of each portion will cost 179,000 VND ($~7.83)

You can donate to this project through GoFundMe, a mailed check (payable to “Give 2 Save”), or by donating money at our events. We and many families in Vietnam are very grateful for your contribution.