Stopping the car in front of a small stall on Ly Thuong Kiet street, Minh Phung ward, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan took a loaf of bread, poured another bottle of water and quickly left.
I see free bread, so I stop by to get it. Whoever needs it, just accept it, when I have it, I support others" - Mr. Tuan said.
The bread stall is modestly located on the side of the road, not fussy, in front is a yellow sign with the words: "Bánh mì sẻ chia - Whoever needs, please accept, whoever has heart, please hang more".
Cakes are prepared, passersby can pick them up when needed. Inside the shop, staff continuously prepare cakes. Each cake is stuffed with filling, added sauce, wrapped and then brought to the counter. Hot cakes are placed neatly, waiting for people to pick them up.
According to the bar staff, the number of people coming here is quite diverse, from lottery ticket sellers, scrap collectors, technology drivers, people with disabilities to freelancers with unstable incomes.
Mr. Ho Van Khoa - residing in Dien Hong ward said that he knows about this bread stall and often visits to support when needed.
What is precious is that the way of giving and receiving here does not create a distance between the giver and the receiver. A loaf of bread is placed on the counter, whoever needs it takes it, like a normal meal. This is the kindness and sharing of city residents for each other" - Mr. Khoa shared.
Not only in Ly Thuong Kiet, free bread stalls also appear on many other streets of Ho Chi Minh City.
On Nguyen Trai street, Cau Ong Lanh ward, a bread stall is placed in an easy-to-see position, becoming a stopover for workers when they need a quick meal. Cakes are prepared, anyone who needs them will pick them up and then continue their work.
Here, the recipients not only have bread. The car also prepares soy sauce, so that everyone can add it themselves, making a portion to eat according to their taste.
Maybe for this person, a loaf of bread is not worth much, but for someone in difficulty, it is a meal at the right time. The way people give is very gentle, without asking, without making the recipient hesitant. Whoever needs it, just take it, and then continue the work" - Ms. Dang Thao Ly, living in Cau Ong Lanh ward, shared.
This model is also being implemented at the corner of Nguyen Dinh Chieu street, Ban Co ward. The banh mi cart here has been operating continuously for more than a year, preparing about 100 loaves each day and adding banh mi in two fixed sessions in the morning and afternoon.
From "hanging rice", "hanging vermicelli" to "hanging bread", simple ways of giving are appearing in many street corners of Ho Chi Minh City. No need for the recipient to explain how difficult it is, and no need for the giver to talk much about what they do.
Those who are well-off buy an extra portion, and those who need it receive a portion. The bread rolls are just given away, as lightly as a normal meal in the street.
