Covid-19 Relief Vietnam

Tháng 7, 2025

Project Rationale

Due to the complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City, strict social distancing measures were imposed starting from May 2021 and continued until July 24, 2021. The prolonged lockdown significantly affected the livelihoods of many, especially informal workers, the homeless, people living in extreme poverty, and shelters supporting vulnerable groups.

To help those in difficult circumstances overcome this challenging period, SonTa Foundation launched an emergency relief project, providing support packages to grassroots organizations actively working in the distribution of meals, essential goods, and critical medical supplies.

Project Implementation

The relief efforts consisted of three main activities:

Financial support to charity groups distributing meals to the homeless and street dwellers, individuals unable to access other support packages, and shelters serving disadvantaged people.
Serving as the communication and coordination hub for the "One Egg a Day" (MNMQT) project.
Provision of protective equipment for field hospitals and oxygen tank components (valves, gauges, and breathing masks) across Ho Chi Minh City.

Project Outcomes

The project was carried out over six disbursement phases, from July 10 to August 18, 2021, with the following results:

Breakdown:

Trang Khuyet Charity: Essentials for elderly and children in shelters – 715 beneficiaries
Dem Sai Gon Group: Light meals for the underprivileged – 3,000 beneficiaries
Tam Long Chung Group: Cooked meals for those in hardship – 1,500 beneficiaries
Lien Tam Volunteers: Food packages for struggling households – 800 beneficiaries

Breakdown:

One Egg a Day: Food and essentials for families – 240 beneficiaries
Dem Sai Gon Group: Meals for the homeless and patients in field hospitals – 2,000 beneficiaries
Lien Tam Volunteers: Food packages for locked-down poor households listed by local authorities – 1,720 beneficiaries

Breakdown:

One Egg a Day: Food kits for underprivileged families – 464 beneficiaries
Dem Sai Gon Group: Protective equipment for 3 field hospitals (Hospitals No. 4, 11, and 12) – 1,000 beneficiaries

Breakdown:

Lien Tam Volunteers: Essentials for poor families – 672 beneficiaries
Dem Sai Gon Group: Meals for the homeless, vulnerable people, and patients in field hospitals or lockdown zones – 1,000 beneficiaries

Breakdown:

Saigon Children’s Charity: 50 COVID Backpack kits for poor families (one-month essential support) – 200 beneficiaries
SOSmap.net: 4 eggs/person for registered individuals in need – 2,678 beneficiaries

Breakdown:

It is essential to have access to physical space or sufficient manpower to directly engage in logistics and distribution. Most active charity groups had their kitchens, warehouses, or physical offices for storage and sorting.
Core teams of 10 or more experienced volunteers, with strong connections to local authorities, played a key role in effective distribution and coordination.
To align to mitigate COVID-19 impacts, it is recommended that the Foundation set clear budget allocations for emergency relief and material aid programs to allow for timely, structured interventions.
Establishing a dedicated volunteer group is crucial to help coordinate and manage incoming information, donations, and distribution. While some organizations have begun using Excel files or apps to register requests, phone-based information filtering remains the most widely used approach.
In the future, with a stable organizational structure or a committed volunteer core, SonTa Foundation could partner directly with other community groups for frontline relief efforts. Collaborating with a volunteer kitchen team to run a dedicated program is one option. By participating directly, the Foundation will also be better positioned to mobilize community resources.