The donation included 200 boxes of instant noodles, 50 cartons of milk, 500kg of rice, and hundreds of kilograms of vegetables.

The recipients are 100 Russian nationals, who are living in Nha Trang and have suffered from the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation was funded by the local budget, contributions from officers and soldiers of the armed forces in the province, and the provincial Youth Union’s COVID-19 support fund.

“Thank you for the gifts,” said Klina Alena, a 39-year-old woman who has lived and worked in Nha Trang for more than three years.

Before the pandemic, Alena rented a store to sell clothing. However, her business has been shuttered in accordance with social distancing rules for COVID-19 prevention.

Alena and her four family members have been living on savings ever since.

“I don’t speak the local language, so it has been quite tough,” she shared with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Officers from the Military Command and the Youth Union of Khanh Hoa Province donate food to a Russian resident in Nha Trang City, Vietnam, July 31, 2021. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre
Officers from the Military Command and the Youth Union of Khanh Hoa Province donate food to a Russian resident in Nha Trang City, Vietnam, July 31, 2021. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

Logunos Tachia, a Russian music teacher, also expressed her gratitude for the donation as it has been difficult for her to go grocery shopping during the restriction period, regardless of helps from locals and her compatriots.

“Your gifts make us feel happy and cared about,” said Tachia. 

“I hope the pandemic will wane quickly so that the Russian community can go back to work.”

This is not the first support of its kind that the Khanh Hoa Military Command has carried out in the south-central province.

The military unit previously organized stalls selling goods worth a total of nearly VND1 billion (US$43,450) at zero cost to people in local quarantine facilities and medical isolation areas.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!