The snipping sound of scissors, upbeat people cheerfully chatting about the trendiest hairstyles, along with the hustle and bustle of the street made a free haircut program held for local residents in Ho Chi Minh City over a week ago a joyful occasion.

The meaningful program took place at the headquarters of the People’s Committee of Ward 4 in Go Vap District.

The event was hosted on March 12 by Sai Gon Cho Lac Xoong in coordination with the local authorities of Ward 4 and Vu Tri and Tom barbershops, among others.

56 barbers, 2 hours, and over 300 new haircuts

This mobile barber’s served more than 300 guests after two hours. The faces of all the guests, from young to old, were glowing with happiness while they were getting a new haircut.

Stopping her bike along the street, the mother of two, Kinh Tam, 5, and Kinh Phong, 3, spoke to the barbers with a radiant smile on her face: “Hey! Can my kids join you guys?”

Phong, as fast as lightning, got off his mother’s bike and took a seat to get his haircut.

Truong Giang, his wife, and their two children also stopped by the event while on their way to a local market.

“I’m so happy, for sure. [By getting a free haircut] I’ve saved some money to buy milk for the kids,” Giang joked.

Happiness doubled: free haircuts and free gifts

Huong, a local woman, finally had her long hair cut neatly after almost 30 minutes.

As the 65-year-old stood up, people around cheered and clapped for her, because the new hair made Huong look much younger than her age.

“I never went to a barber’s before. I always cut my hair by myself," she said.

After getting the new haircut, Huong was given a gift by the program organizers.

According to Bui Vinh The, co-founder of Sai Gon Cho Lac Xoong, the event was set to serve some 900 guests, so the organizers had prepared 900 gifts including eggs, rice, milk, and soya sauce.

Sai Gon Cho Lac Xoong is a Facebook-based community with more than 81,000 members.

It serves as a platform where online vendors sell a variety of products and others exchange, resell, or give away unwanted new and used stuff.

This Facebook group also made a name for itself during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

At the time, when Ho Chi Minh City imposed lockdowns and travel restrictions, Sai Gon Cho Lac Xoong decided to form groups of volunteers citywide to assist the authorities with providing basic necessities and medical emergency services for people in need.

During the post-pandemic period, the group still maintains its charity events, doing good deeds on a larger scale by visiting remote areas and offering help to the disadvantaged.

“The free haircut event today is among various activities that Sai Gon Cho Lac Xoong wants to give back to the community,” The said.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!