RMIT Leaders and Alumni Unite to Donate 100 Meals and Fundraise for Vietharvest.
On June 22nd, RMIT Alumni Vietnam and VietHarvest co-hosted a charitable cooking event named ‘Cook for a Cause by RMIT x VietHarvest’ to tighten the strong bond among our prominent alumni, support nutrition for children, and raise awareness among our participants of food waste at the household level.
The event is the union of 20 RMIT leaders and prominent alumni to join a cooking session guided by a reputed chef by S25 by KOTO and get to know some significant facts and figures about food waste in Vietnam, such as that, on average, a Vietnamese individual wastes around 44–88 kg of food per year, according to the UNEP report in 2024.
From these facts and figures, Dr. Tracy, one of the RMIT alumna participants, shared that “Vietnam is a nation of food lovers, renowned for its delicious cuisine, particularly street foods and snacks. However, our love for food might bring up the issue of food waste, which is a significant component of our trash. Effective food waste management is crucial, as it can save money, reduce the burden on garbage control and recycling efforts, and contribute to a greener environment.”
Dr. Tracy, the second person from the left, an RMIT alumna, was one of the participants in the event
After the cooking sessions, all participants donated 100 meals to children and staff at the Social Work and Youth Vocational Training Center of Ho Chi Minh City in Go Vap District and the Functional Rehabilitation and Assistance Center for Disabled Children in District 3, intending to support nutrition for children in these centers and spend an amount to fundraise for VietHarvest Vietnam operations to tackle food waste and fight hunger.
Staff and children who received the meals at the Social Work and Youth Vocational Training Center of Ho Chi Minh City
Representing VietHarvest in Vietnam, Ms. Phuong Anh Ngo shared that, “During the first two years (2022–2024), VietHarvest has focused on piloting the concept of food rescue in the two biggest cities, Hanoi and HCMC. As a result, Vietharvest supported 4,414 lives and rescued 34,162 kg of food.
Ms. Phuong Anh Ngo, in the middle, represents VietHarvest at the event
The event ‘Cook for a Cause by RMIT x VietHarvest’ is a part of RMIT Alumni Relation’s broader campaign, “Sạch – Sành – Sanh,” which aims to raise public awareness of sustainable consumption and production. The campaign includes various activities for the RMIT alumni community, such as field trips, competitions, and green lifestyle challenges.
View the event photo album here: Cook for Cause by RMIT x VietHarvest
“SẠCH SÀNH SANH” (Clean, Clever, Continuity) is an abbreviation of ‘ăn SẠCH, sống SÀNH, trường SANH’ (Eat Clean, Live Clever, Continuity). If we adopt good habits such as reducing food waste and reusing and recycling more, we will live longer lives, and so will our future. Explore this campaign here