A sick family and 3 orphans need help

(DN) - In a small rented room of less than 20 square meters, in group 7, Tam Hiep ward, Dong Nai province, Huynh Thi Chi (59 years old) and her husband, although they have lived most of their lives, still have to bear the burden of illness, medicine, raising a mentally ill child and two orphaned grandchildren, abandoned by their father.

At first glance at the family members, perhaps few people can imagine the hardships behind the plump figures of Mrs. Chi and her husband. But looking closely at the dark eyes, the faces darkened by the sun and wind, and the worries etched deep into every wrinkle… is where the hardships and painful events are hidden.

The family of five lives in a small rented house filled with old tires and recycled items. Photo: Thu Hien

Tragedy piled on old shoulders

Ms. Chi's life is a long series of losses. As a child, she lost her biological parents in the war, then she was taken in by a family and adopted. She thought she would find happiness when she married Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, but unexpectedly poverty and hardship still persistently followed her.

In 2007, they were forced to leave their beloved hometown of Can Tho , taking their two young children to Dong Nai, starting a precarious life abroad. Without a home or a garden, they lived temporarily in a cramped rented room, making a living by doing various jobs. She worked as a janitor for a company, he wandered around every day, searching for old tires in the sun, wind and dust of the road, hoping to earn a small profit. Before the sweat had dried, before the poverty had passed, disasters struck one after another.

The eldest son, Mr. Tran Phuoc Tin (33 years old), after the shock of his broken marriage, fell into depression, then became seriously mentally ill. For the past 7 years, he has lived in a silent world , dependent on his elderly parents for all his activities.

More painfully, in 2023, Ms. Chi's youngest daughter passed away due to pleural effusion. Her passing not only left her parents with a profound loss but also a huge debt from the days of running around for medicine. Tragedy followed tragedy when her son-in-law also disappeared right after the funeral. Since then, the two orphaned children, Ha Ngoc Han (10 years old) and Ha Duy Tam (8 years old), have been living entirely with their grandparents.

Although still young, the two grandchildren already know how to collect scrap metal to help their grandparents make a living. Photo: Thu Hien

Small wish in the midst of misery

At an age when they should only focus on studying and having fun, Ngoc Han and Duy Tam have to carry a constant fear. “I’m so scared… I’m scared I won’t be able to go to school anymore… I’m scared that my grandparents will get too tired and leave me and my brother behind, just like my mother…”, little Ha Ngoc Han choked out between sobs.

The words shared were immature but so heartbreaking, and helpless. When she was no longer strong enough to do heavy work, Mrs. Chi turned to petty trading at the alley entrance, sometimes selling vegetables, guava, melons... to earn a few tens of thousands each day. The amount of money was nothing compared to the burden: monthly rent of more than 2.5 million VND, living expenses, medicine and education for her two grandchildren.

“Every day that passes, my husband and I have to fight diabetes and high blood pressure. Because we don’t have money, we can only use the old prescription, take it sparingly… and then struggle to make a living, because we have two small children and a sick child behind us. If I collapse, where will my children and grandchildren go?” - Mrs. Chi shared in tears.

Despite being exhausted both financially and physically, Mr. Dung and Mrs. Chi still have to struggle to make a living by doing all kinds of jobs, just to take care of their sick child and two orphaned grandchildren. Photo: Thu Hien

After nearly 20 years of wandering to make a living, Ms. Chi's family still lives in a makeshift situation, without a house, without land, without a stable place to call home in their "second homeland". In the whole family, only Ms. Chi has a household registration with an acquaintance's family. She is also the only one who has been granted a health insurance card, the remaining members do not have a household registration and do not have access to any support or social security policies.

Now, the five sick and orphaned people just hope for help from the community, a little more capital to make their business less difficult, some medicine to help Mr. Tin recover from his illness, and for the two children to continue going to school.

All contributions please send to the program "Aspiration to live", Publicity and Documentation Department, Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio and Television. Or editor Thu Hien (phone number/Zalo: 0911.21.21.26)

+ Receiving account: 197073599999 - Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Vietinbank. Please clearly state in the transfer content: Support for Ms. Huynh Thi Chi's family.

The connection and support program is expected to be held at 9:30 a.m. on August 26, 2025, at the private home of Ms. Huynh Thi Chi's family (Group 7, Quarter 10, Tam Hiep Ward, Dong Nai Province).

   Thu Hien

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/tin-moi/202508/mot-gia-canh-benh-tat-va-3-manh-doi-coi-cut-can-duoc-giup-do-f0a00f1/