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Inventive "rice ATM" feeds those in need in Vietnam

April 13, 2020

With his country in lockdown and wanting to help, Vietnamese tech businessman, Hoang Tuan Anh, donated a batch of smart doorbells to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City.

Realizing so many were struggling financially, even though Vietnam had introduced a stimulus package to help those out of work, Anh turned his attention and technological skills to food distribution. He developed a 24/7 automatic rice dispensing machine to provide free rice to Ho Chi Minh City residents in need, according to a story in Reuters. The machine distributes a 1.5kg (3.3lb) bagful of rice from a small silo and the response has been tremendous, prompting Ahn to set up rice ATMs in Hanoi, Hue and Danang, according to state media.

“This rice ATM has been helpful,” saidNguyen Thi Ly, a 34-year-old mother of three children. Herhusband is among the people currently out of work. “With this one bag of rice, we can have enough for one day.”

For more information about how the coronavirus is affecting the ATM industry, click here.