Parents addicted to drugs, 10 poor grandchildren live with 62-year-old grandmother

(Baonghean.vn) - Despite her old age and illness, Ms. Le Thi Toan in Nam Tien 1 village, Bao Nam commune (Ky Son) still works hard to take care of and raise 10 grandchildren.

Ms. Le Thi Toan, born in 1955, in Quang Binh, in 1975 she met and fell in love with Mr. Ven Van Nam, a soldier from Bao Nam commune, Ky Son district, Nghe An, who fought in the Quang Tri battlefield. After Mr. Nam was discharged in 1978, the two of them moved to live in the poor commune of Bao Nam.

The house where Mrs. Toan and her 10 grandchildren live. Photo: Lu Phu

During that time, the couple had 5 children, 3 boys, 2 girls, and thought they would have support when they were old and weak, but the whirlwind of drugs pushed them away from her one by one. One died, another was in a re-education camp, another was living abroad. So all the burden fell on Mrs. Toan's shoulders. She alone had to do everything to earn a living and take care of 10 young grandchildren, the youngest just turned 3, the oldest was only 15 years old.

Mrs. Toan takes care of her grandchildren alone. Photo: Lu Phu

Mrs. Toan said: Despite the difficulties, her family life used to be peaceful like many other families in the village, but unexpectedly in 2012, the drug whirlwind swept through, causing all 3 of her sons to die, turning the family's life upside down. Her 2 daughters and daughters-in-law, some passed away, some went to China, leaving behind 10 young grandchildren, helpless. Because of her love for her children and grandchildren, although she has been suffering from diabetes for more than 10 years, she has to take care of her grandchildren alone.

Daily meals of 11 grandmothers and grandchildren. Photo: Lu Phu

Every day in the dilapidated, empty stilt house, 11 grandmothers and grandchildren survive on corn and potatoes...

Despite her difficult family life, she still took on additional duties as a village health worker, was appointed as the head of the loan group of the policy bank, and was trusted and loved by the people.

“If I don’t try hard, I don’t know who to rely on. I have to earn my own money to buy rice to raise them. The teachers also buy them clothes and books for school. I just hope that they grow up to be good people and not get involved in social evils like their father,” Ms. Toan confided.

Lu Phu