Feeding Vietnam’s neediest - Grandad’s Legacy
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Our family comes from Tra Vinh, a rural area in Southern Vietnam. People there are hard-working and resilient but living in extreme poverty is common. Our grandad and 5 of 8 of his children were able to emigrate from Vietnam to the UK and the US - resulting in us second-generation British and Americans. Grandad had a kind soul. Despite living in the UK, our grandad never forgot about his community back in Tra Vinh.
Many men, women and children there suffer from malnutrition, they can't afford essential medical care and can't afford to hold dignified burials for loved ones. This is often because they cannot work due to disability, commonly as a result of war, or old age.
So, over 15 years ago, our grandad started fundraising. With the money he gathered, his children and grandchildren remaining in Vietnam would buy as much rice and other food items as possible to distribute to the most needy in the community.
Families would be given a bag of rice, maybe more, depending on how well the fundraising went. Grandad, along with our uncle, managed to raise enough to give to the community once a year. In the best years, we were able to raise a few thousand pounds and managed to feed hundreds of families, sometimes even enough to donate coffins so people could respectfully lay their loved ones to rest.
Here's a photo of grandad (and his signature flat cap) distributing rice many years ago:
In 2014, grandad passed away at the age of 102.
Picking up where grandad left off, our uncle, who had been fundraising heavily with grandad already, continued fundraising and kept this going for a few more years until earlier this year, our uncle passed away too. This year, we were only able to buy a fraction of food we used to be able to. Today, now that grandad's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are all grown up, we want to pick up the torch and continue grandad's legacy.
There are still so many people in need. Now, we're under no illusion that a few bags of rice will bring the community out of poverty... but at least they know they'll be able to feed their families for the next few weeks.
So please, we would be eternally grateful if you could help us, in any way at all, to continue grandad's legacy.
Thank you for your kindness.
Many men, women and children there suffer from malnutrition, they can't afford essential medical care and can't afford to hold dignified burials for loved ones. This is often because they cannot work due to disability, commonly as a result of war, or old age.
So, over 15 years ago, our grandad started fundraising. With the money he gathered, his children and grandchildren remaining in Vietnam would buy as much rice and other food items as possible to distribute to the most needy in the community.
Families would be given a bag of rice, maybe more, depending on how well the fundraising went. Grandad, along with our uncle, managed to raise enough to give to the community once a year. In the best years, we were able to raise a few thousand pounds and managed to feed hundreds of families, sometimes even enough to donate coffins so people could respectfully lay their loved ones to rest.
Here's a photo of grandad (and his signature flat cap) distributing rice many years ago:
In 2014, grandad passed away at the age of 102.
Picking up where grandad left off, our uncle, who had been fundraising heavily with grandad already, continued fundraising and kept this going for a few more years until earlier this year, our uncle passed away too. This year, we were only able to buy a fraction of food we used to be able to. Today, now that grandad's grandchildren and great-grandchildren are all grown up, we want to pick up the torch and continue grandad's legacy.
There are still so many people in need. Now, we're under no illusion that a few bags of rice will bring the community out of poverty... but at least they know they'll be able to feed their families for the next few weeks.
So please, we would be eternally grateful if you could help us, in any way at all, to continue grandad's legacy.
Thank you for your kindness.
Organizer
Louise Le
Organizer
England
