The old man collects trash to feed 5 mouths.
(Baonghean) -Although both are over 70 years old, the couple still has to wander around the area to sweep trash for hire, collect scrap to sell to earn money to buy rice to raise two mentally ill children and an orphaned grandchild.
That is the situation of Mr. Dang Van Thuan, 76 years old, living in Dong Loc hamlet (Dien Ngoc commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An). Every day, he and his 8th grade grandson have to go out and collect all kinds of things to sell to make a living.
Every day, to earn money to buy rice, Mr. Thuan had to wander around the village to dig through trash. He picked up trash all day, and on good days he only earned 5,000 - 6,000 VND, and on many days he only earned 2,000 VND. He saved up to buy rice to take care of his family.
Mr. Thuan with his grandchild Coi and mentally ill child.
In the dilapidated house, the old man choked up when talking about his family situation. On his thin, dirty face, he gently brushed away his bony arms, revealing red eyes, and said: “There are 5 mouths in my family to feed. My two daughters are over 30 years old this year, but have been mentally ill since childhood, so they don’t know anything. And my grandmother (Mr. Thuan’s wife, Mrs. Tran Thi Thin), is 73 this year, but still has to work as a garbage collector at the fishing port to earn a living.”
Through our investigation, we learned that Mr. Thuan’s family had no agricultural land and no main worker, so he had to pick up trash to earn a living. The rainy and cold days were also the days of hunger for the whole family.
“At that time, there was no one at the port so I had no job. Mr. Thuan suffered from nerve pain so he could not pick up trash. At that time, I did not know where to get money to buy rice so I had to beg for rice to eat to get through the day,” Mrs. Tran Thi Thin tearfully shared about her grandparents’ family situation.
The couple’s greatest asset was their two dilapidated, leaky houses. That was the “home” of five miserable fates, but the storm at the end of 2010 had the heart to rip off the tiles and the roof, leaving only four bare, lime-washed walls.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thin (41 years old), a villager, said: “After the storm, seeing Mr. Thuan and his wife and children hungry and cold, without a home or a kitchen, everyone contributed roofing sheets, tiles, and tarpaulins to help the family have a place to take shelter. However, every time it rains, the water from above still pours into the house like a waterfall. Mr. Thuan’s family is the most miserable in this commune, guys.”
The kitchen is dilapidated.
At the age of “thất thập cổ lai hi”, his family has never known a day of having enough to eat. They have no money to buy food, so when sweeping the harbor and seeing fish and shrimp thrown away by fishermen, Mr. Thin would pick them up and carefully put them in his bag to bring home as food for the whole family. Poverty is so persistent that eating thin rice porridge to get through meals is a common thing for the five miserable people.
Despite the hardship and deprivation, Mr. Thuan always urged his grandson Nguyen Van Coi, an orphan, to go to school so that he could be on par with his friends and be able to take care of the family when his grandparents passed away.
“This year, Cu Coi (my only grandson - PV) is 14 years old. He is currently studying in grade 8 at Dien Ngoc Secondary School. After school or on break, he often wanders around looking for scrap metal to sell to earn extra money for his grandparents. He is that old, but I have never been able to make him a new shirt. His clothes, books, etc. are all given to him by his friends and neighbors,” Mr. Thin shared with tears.
Mr. Thuan’s family situation is very heartbreaking. Through this article, we hope to receive sympathy and kind hearts to help his family ease their difficulties.
Please send all donations and kind help to: Mr. Dang Van Thuan, Dong Loc hamlet, Dien Ngoc commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An.
Nguyen Phe - Minh Hau
