News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
22
o
Mount Lebanon
22
o
Metn
22
o
Keserwan
22
o
North
23
o
South
22
o
Bekaa
18
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
Wajeet Rass
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
22
o
Mount Lebanon
22
o
Metn
22
o
Keserwan
22
o
North
23
o
South
22
o
Bekaa
18
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
'Rice ATM' feeds Vietnam's poor amid virus lockdown
Breaking Headlines
2020-04-13 | 09:48
High views
Share
Share
3
min
'Rice ATM' feeds Vietnam's poor amid virus lockdown
A Vietnamese entrepreneur in Ho Chi Minh City has invented a 24/7 automatic dispensing machine providing free rice for people out of work following an ongoing nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Vietnam has reported 262 COVID-19 cases, and no deaths so far, but as a result of a 15-day social distancing programme that began on March 31 many small businesses have been shuttered and thousands of people temporarily laid off from work.
Nguyen Thi Ly's husband was among those who have lost their job.
"This rice ATM has been helpful. With this one bag of rice, we can have enough for one day," said the 34-year-old mother of three children. "Now, we only need other food. Our neighbors sometimes gave us some leftover food, or we have instant noodles."
The machine distributes a 1.5kg (3.3lb) bagful of rice from a small silo to waiting workers, many of whom are street sellers or people who earned a living from cash-in-hand jobs like housekeeping or selling lottery tickets.
Hoang Tuan Anh, the businessman behind the idea, had initially donated a batch of smart doorbells to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City before turning his technological expertise to food distribution.
Similar 'rice ATMs' have been set up in other big cities like Hanoi, Hue and Danang, according to state media.
Employees monitoring the rice ATM declined to comment, but Anh told state media he wanted people to feel they still had access to food and resources, despite the current economic difficulties they found themselves in.
"I refer to this machine as a 'rice ATM' because people can withdraw rice from it, assured that there are still good people out there who want to give them a second chance," he said.
While many in the Communist-ruled country can rely on a social safety-net, and the government has introduced a stimulus package designed to help society’s most vulnerable, some people living on the margin, like Ly and her family, have not received enough support.
"I read about this rice ATM on the internet. I came to check it out, and couldn’t believe it came out for real. I really hope the sponsors would keep doing this until the end of the pandemic," said Ly, adding that her family's biggest problem was now paying their rent.
REUTERS
Breaking Headlines
ATM
Rice
Coronavirus
Health
Death
Vietnam
Next
Grand Mufti Derian travels to Saudi Arabia for Hajj
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
Breaking Headlines
2024-05-01
War casualty update: Israeli army reports 3,330 injuries, 1,602 during ground ops
Breaking Headlines
2024-05-01
War casualty update: Israeli army reports 3,330 injuries, 1,602 during ground ops
0
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
World News
2024-04-24
Argentina requests arrest of Iranian minister over 1994 Jewish center bombing
World News
2024-04-24
Argentina requests arrest of Iranian minister over 1994 Jewish center bombing
0
News Bulletin Reports
2024-05-03
Aid for Lebanon: EU announces one billion euro aid package for Lebanon
News Bulletin Reports
2024-05-03
Aid for Lebanon: EU announces one billion euro aid package for Lebanon
0
Variety and Tech
2023-10-20
Lebanese village Douma earns its place on UNWTO's 2023 Best Tourism Villages list
Variety and Tech
2023-10-20
Lebanese village Douma earns its place on UNWTO's 2023 Best Tourism Villages list
0
Israel-Gaza War Updates
2024-03-30
Second shipment with almost 400 tons of food for Gaza leaves Cyprus
Israel-Gaza War Updates
2024-03-30
Second shipment with almost 400 tons of food for Gaza leaves Cyprus
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
0
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
0
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
0
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
0
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:56
Blinken: The sole obstacle to Gaza ceasefire is Hamas
Israel-Gaza War Updates
00:56
Blinken: The sole obstacle to Gaza ceasefire is Hamas
2
Lebanon News
06:15
Bassil criticizes seasonal migration to Europe and the one-billion-euro aid package for Lebanon
Lebanon News
06:15
Bassil criticizes seasonal migration to Europe and the one-billion-euro aid package for Lebanon
3
Lebanon News
05:43
Salem Zahran on LBCI deciphers the French paper and its ramifications
Lebanon News
05:43
Salem Zahran on LBCI deciphers the French paper and its ramifications
4
Israel-Gaza War Updates
08:00
Qatar considers future of Hamas office in Doha and whether to keep mediating
Israel-Gaza War Updates
08:00
Qatar considers future of Hamas office in Doha and whether to keep mediating
5
Middle East News
10:23
British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta denied entry into France
Middle East News
10:23
British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta denied entry into France
6
Israel-Gaza War Updates
05:50
Gaza Health Ministry: 34,654 Palestinian killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7
Israel-Gaza War Updates
05:50
Gaza Health Ministry: 34,654 Palestinian killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7
7
Israel-Gaza War Updates
08:10
Armed groups in Gaza rob Bank of Palestine branches
Israel-Gaza War Updates
08:10
Armed groups in Gaza rob Bank of Palestine branches
8
World News
03:04
Bodies found in Mexico where tourists went missing
World News
03:04
Bodies found in Mexico where tourists went missing
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More