VietNamNet Bridge – Sweating in the heat of Saigon, Do Van Ut fixes a motorbike at the entrance to the alley at 96 Phan Dinh Phung Street in HCMC’s Phu Nhuan District. Next to him is a jug of ice tea. Below it is a sign which reads: “Fixing bikes for disadvantaged and old people is free” and “Free drinking water for everybody.”

Do Van Ut puts medicine into a box at the entrance to the alley at 96 Phan Dinh Phung Street in HCMC’s Phu Nhuan District

Other free things that people would find in this alley include a glass box with various types of household medicines, and free funeral service for the poor who have no relatives and are homeless.

Sharing a small rented apartment with his family in this crowded city, Ut is the one who initiated most of the charitable deeds at this alley, starting with bike-fixing service, ice tea, and most recently, funeral service.

Day in, day out, whenever the ice tea jug runs out of water, Ut fills it up, and whenever some people reach out for help, the 52-year-old is always ready.

Seeing some homeless people dying without anyone else beside them, Ut called for help from sponsors he knew and went to coffin stores in the area to search for help and then prepared a decent funeral for those poor and homeless people who die. On May 5, the free funeral service for the poor has become a way of life in the alley.

The good things he did for others without requiring anything in return has inspired other people in the alley to follow suit. The free medicine box came from an idea of Nguyen Van Phuc, a xe om (motorbike taxi) driver.

A lottery ticket seller stops by to take some free ice tea from a jug in front of the alley

Collecting revenue from providing motorbike taxi service and selling cigarettes at a small stall in front of the alley, Phuc does not earn much to cover all daily expenses of his family, yet he is always happy to offer free rides for old, sick and disadvantaged people whenever he can.

And according to local people here, on the first day of the lunar month and the full-moon day which falls on the 15th day of the month, people at the alley will gather to cook free vegetarian meals and bring them to poor people in the area.

Life is still difficult for people in this alley, but they are always happy to help others. This is what makes those people great role models for many.

SGT