A heartwarming family meal, filled with love for those far from home.

In the final days of the Year of the Snake, as crowds hurriedly left Ho Chi Minh City to return to their hometowns to reunite with their families, life in many rented accommodations near industrial zones remained quiet but warm in its own way. Without dazzling fireworks or the bustling atmosphere of returning buses, the spirit of spring here was woven from simple New Year's Eve meals shared by migrant workers who chose to stay in the city.

Preparing the year-end meal for workers at Mr. Tran Van Tien's dormitory in Hoa Phu 1 neighborhood, Binh Duong ward ( Ho Chi Minh City).

At Mr. Tran Van Tien's boarding house in Hoa Phu 1 neighborhood, Binh Duong ward, the atmosphere in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) is more lively than usual as the landlord and tenants who cannot return home for Tet gather to set up tables and chairs, decorate with banners, and arrange miniature spring scenes... Dishes such as grilled fish, vegetable soup, spring rolls, hot pot... are neatly arranged on four tables, and about 20 workers participate.

Mr. Tran Van Tien said that organizing the year-end meal has been a tradition for many years. Most of the tenants are migrant workers from other provinces, facing difficult circumstances. A warm and cozy year-end meal helps alleviate homesickness and strengthens the bond within the boarding house, making it feel like a shared home.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoai Nhi, a worker in Binh Duong ward, said that this year he couldn't arrange time to go home. Attending the New Year's Eve dinner with his landlord and roommates, he felt a strong sense of warmth and closeness, like being in a second family.

Similarly, Ms. Phan Vinh, a worker in Tan Uyen ward, shared that staying in the city during Tet (Lunar New Year) made her homesick even more intense. However, the care shown by her landlord and the local authorities through family meals and Tet gifts helped her and many other workers feel encouraged and more inclined to stay with their workplace for the long term.

Binh Duong ward currently has 8 industrial zones and clusters with 1,522 businesses and over 80,000 workers. Last year, the employment situation was generally stable, but a segment of the workforce still lacked overtime opportunities, experienced reduced income, and faced living difficulties. With Tet (Lunar New Year) approaching, many people lacked the means to return home to celebrate the holiday.

Mr. Pham Tuan Tu, Chairman of the Binh Duong Ward Labor Union, said that the ward's Labor Union, in coordination with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the ward, organized a "Family Reunion Meal - A Meaningful Tet" at 5 lodging areas, distributing 59 gifts worth a total of 30 million VND to disadvantaged workers and those staying behind during Tet. In addition, businesses and grassroots labor unions in the ward implemented many Tet welfare activities with a total budget of approximately 12 billion VND; and organized the donation of bus and train tickets for workers to return home for Tet.

In Phu An ward, the "Tet Meal - Sharing Love" program, organized by the Youth Union in coordination with the Women's Union of the ward at a boarding house, also attracted a large number of young workers. The program organized 4 meals and distributed 15 gifts worth a total of 16.5 million VND to young workers in difficult circumstances.

Leaders of Thu Dau Mot ward present gifts to workers.

In recent years, the city government and organizations have intensified coordination in visiting, giving gifts, organizing cultural and artistic activities, and holding competitions for making banh chung and banh tet (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), creating a safe, economical, and warm atmosphere for celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) in residential areas. In addition, many landlords throughout Ho Chi Minh City have proactively reduced rent for the Tet month, subsidized electricity and water costs, and prepared extra cakes and sweets for their tenants to enjoy. These practical actions have helped make rented housing areas a source of moral support for migrant workers.

Ms. Nguyen Kim Loan, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Federation of Labor, said that during the Lunar New Year of 2026, the City Federation of Labor will provide 1 million VND to each union member in difficult circumstances through bank transfer, ensuring that workers receive support promptly; and organize programs such as "Spring of Solidarity - Tet of Compassion," year-end meals, and cultural and artistic activities in the workers' dormitories to create more motivation for union members and workers to feel secure and committed to their businesses and the city.

The City Trade Union plans to distribute gifts to over 350,000 union members and workers in difficult circumstances; and provide support to union members and workers who are directly affected or have relatives affected by storms and floods in the central provinces. The City Trade Union also collaborates with the City Women's Union to organize the "Tet for Children - Spring Comes to the Dormitory Areas" program, contributing to the care of children of workers and laborers in dormitory areas…

The total resources allocated to support union members and workers in the city during this year's Tet holiday are expected to exceed 3,400 billion VND; of which, the city budget will contribute over 400 billion VND, with the remainder covered by businesses and grassroots trade unions.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/mam-com-sum-vay-am-tinh-nguoi-xa-que-20260213120724395.htm