Children bear the consequences of human trafficking in the highlands of Nghe An

The Dream of a Boy with Mixed Bloodlines

The sun was almost at its zenith, Ms. Vi Thi Hieng (born in 1989) in Hong Dien village, Don Phuc commune (Con Cuong) hurriedly returned from the field, hurriedly lit the stove to prepare lunch for the mother and son. The boy Vi Khay Dung (born in 2008), a 5th grader, had just entered the gate, saw his mother, and immediately recited loudly the poem he had just learned in class that morning.

Although still tired and busy, Ms. Hieng smiled happily and hugged her son. Ms. Hieng shared: “Cu Dung and his sister followed their mother back to their hometown 4 years ago, when they were only 8 years old, his paternal hometown was in China. Unable to bear the cramped life in a foreign land, I took my son back to my hometown, life was still full of difficulties and deprivation, but I was content and accepted...”.

The makeshift house of Vi Thi Hieng and her children in Hong Dien village, Don Phuc commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Tuong Vi

While picking wild vegetables, Ms. Vi Thi Hieng searched for memories about her life about 15 years ago, when she turned 17. Her family was poor, she did not go to school to learn to read and write since she was young, she only learned by stealth and knew how to write her name. Like a wild flower in the middle of the forest, the Thai girl from Hong Dien village caught the attention of those whohuman trafficking

Following the sweet enticements and the prospect of wealth and happiness, Ms. Hieng crossed the border and was tricked and sold to a man on the other side of the border as his wife. After nearly 10 years of being the wife of a man she did not love, she gave birth to two children, a boy and a girl.

The life of Vi Thi Hieng and her children is still full of difficulties and deprivation. Photo: Tuong Vi

She did not want to tell the bitterness, the physical and mental pain during the years away from home. In 2016, when someone was willing to help, Ms. Hieng decided to bring her two children - children who hadtwo bloodlinesreturn home, end the miserable days.

Back in the countryside, with no land to settle down, the villagers kindly lent Ms. Hieng and her children land to build a temporary house to protect them from the rain and sun. It was called a house but it was actually built with 6 small pillars and placed on several cement panels, surrounded by a thin canvas.

Every day, she only knows how to eat by looking into the forest. Every day, Ms. Hieng goes to find bamboo shoots, wild vegetables or collect firewood to sell to buy rice for the day. Although life is still difficult, the mother and her three children are always together. The meals are just a few crabs and snails caught from the stream, but the family atmosphere is always warm and full of love.

The house of the three sisters Lo Thi Linh in Tong Tien village, Don Phuc commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Tuong Vi

Her sleep every night is no longer as startling as it was in the years in a foreign land, because being able to return to her birthplace, living with her relatives and fellow villagers is a blessing in life. Even though her family is still poor and there is nothing of value in the house, Ms. Hieng still cherishes the hope that her children will grow up, study and change their lives.

Every time she heard her son recite the poem after class, her heart was filled with hope. “Dung said he would try to study hard and be a good boy so that he could become an engineer in the future, so that his mother and sister could escape poverty,” said Hieng.

“Dung is making progress in his studies, learning quickly and writing beautifully. If given the opportunity to study, he will certainly achieve better results.”

Mr. Luong Thanh Huyen - teacher at Don Phuc Primary School (Vi Khay Dung's homeroom teacher)

Longing in the dilapidated house

At the end of Tong Tien village, there is a dilapidated and empty house, covered with bamboo panels. The front canvas is torn by the wind and rain, almost losing its shape. That house is the shelter of three sisters, Lo Thi Linh (12 years old), Lo Thi Chi (10 years old) and Lo Van Bi (8 years old).

This place was also once the home of a family, when the father and mother of the three children had not yet left the village to seek a living. There was a time when, despite the hardships and poverty, Linh and her siblings were loved and pampered by their parents, bought new clothes and delicious food.

The daily meals of Lo Thi Linh and her sisters consist only of rice and sesame and peanuts. Photo: Tuong Vi

The rift began more than a year ago, when Linh’s grandmother was arrested for human trafficking. Shocked, her grandfather turned to alcohol, became seriously ill, and passed away not long after. Life, already difficult and struggling, became even more miserable.

Faced with such a miserable situation, Linh's mother decided to leave, even though her three children were still young. No one knew where the mother went, only that she had not returned for a long time. Some said she went to work far away, others said she had passed away.cross borderto another country

The father, suffering and at a dead end, turned to alcohol to relieve his sorrow, hoping to forget the harshness of reality. Fortunately, paternal love pulled the man out of his constant drunkenness, and he was determined to go far away to earn a living and raise his children. To this day, Linh and her two younger siblings still do not know where their father and mother are, only occasionally receiving a little money their father sends home to buy rice and food, while their mother is nowhere to be found.

Lo Thi Linh and her three sisters always hope their mother and father will return. Photo: Tuong Vi

Without their parents, the three children lived alone in a dilapidated, empty house lacking warmth and love. Occasionally, the commune officials would come to visit and neighbors would stop by to see how Linh and her sisters were eating and whether they were sick. As the eldest, Linh took on the role of father and mother in taking care of her two younger siblings, taking care of their meals, sleep, and studies.

This school year, Linh is in 6th grade, Chi is in 4th grade, and Bi is in 2nd grade. Every day, Linh wakes up at 4am to cook, wakes up on Monday to study, then eats to go to class. Sesame and peanuts are a regular food for Linh and her sisters because they are cheap, easy to prepare, and can be stored for a long time.

In her free time, Linh spends time reading stories to her siblings. All three sisters love the story of Saint Giong. The three sisters all wish they could have the magic to grow up quickly like Saint Giong so that they can work hard, help each other, and find their parents to live with. At night, the children lie in each other's arms, always thinking of their parents' silhouettes and arms in their sleep.

Sisters Lo Thi Linh always receive attention from the officials of Don Phuc commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Tuong Vi

“Bi cries every night because she misses her mother. Before, she used to hug her mother to sleep, but now she always hugs me tightly. She misses her mother so much, but she only dares to cry alone, not wanting her two younger siblings to see. My sister and I always hope that mom and dad will come back...”

Baby Lo Thi Linh

Captain Nguyen Phi Ha - Head of Don Phuc Commune Police said: “10 years ago, Don Phuc was a hot spot for human trafficking. Bad guys often took advantage of women's ignorance and gullibility to lure and trick them into going abroad. Currently, the whole commune still has more than 30 people absent, with unknown addresses and no contact with their families. This has left behind sad consequences when children have to live in a state of helplessness and lack of parental love.”

According to Captain Ha, the commune has stepped up propaganda and mobilization, establishing the "Shield" Club with nearly 40 members to raise awareness, help each other develop the economy, and contribute to preventing human trafficking.

Lo Thi Linh and her sisters cross the stream to go to school. Photo: Tuong Vi

We left Don Phuc, the Phen stream had started to become clear again after days.floodTwo brothers Vi Khay Dung and three sisters Lo Thi Linh held hands and crossed streams and steep passes to school, carrying with them the dream of changing their lives...

Cong Kien - Tuong Vi