Following my parents into the factory.

During breaks, Gia Han would run over to chat with her mother's colleague at the garment factory - Photo: CONG TRIEU

But children who grow up in poverty seem to be very understanding; they quietly study and play by themselves in a corner.

Having friends to play with

At a garment factory in Binh Chanh district (Ho Chi Minh City), three children giggled and laughed together at the back of the workshop. After playing for a while, they huddled together, reciting words to the hurried whirring of the sewing machines nearby. "I come here all the time, and I like it much more than at home," said little Linh (4 years old) with a smile when asked.

Ms. Kim Tuyen - Ut Linh's mother - can't even remember how many times she's taken her daughter to the sewing factory, only that the first time was when her daughter was very young.

She also considered sending her child to daycare, but because the child was too young, no one would accept him. And after thinking it over, she realized that factory workers' salaries weren't much; if she quit to stay home and look after the child, how would she make ends meet? And sending the child to daycare might even cost more than her salary, so she knew it was difficult, but she had no choice but to bring her child to the factory, and it became a habit.

"I had to ask the owner beforehand, but luckily they were very accommodating and supportive. Besides, the child has to be well-behaved; if they're disruptive and crying, it will affect everyone else, and I couldn't stand that either," Ms. Tuyen said with a laugh.

There, Ut Linh was the youngest, so she was called "the youngest." The other two children, Nguyen (6 years old) and Ngoc (5 years old), were also children of the workers there. As the oldest in the group, Nguyen was given the responsibility of looking after the two younger ones. He liked to show off his leadership role and paid close attention to them.

Then the mischievous boy said, "Every day I have to think about what fun game I'll play to entertain the kids." After playing together for a while, Nguyen happily ran to get water for the two girls: "Drink this, you haven't had anything all morning." So each of them gulped down a glass of water, looking at each other and smiling.

I prefer being at home.

"Mom, I drew you! It's so beautiful!" - Gia Han (6 years old) said, squinting and smiling. Looking at the drawing her daughter had scribbled on a piece of cardboard, My Giang (24 years old, from Quang Nam province) felt a strange joy. The laughter of mother and daughter echoed in a corner of the garment factory in Vinh Loc A commune (Binh Chanh district) where Giang works as a factory worker.

After playing for a while, it was time for Han to practice her handwriting because she was about to start first grade. Since it was already dark by the time they got home and finished dinner, the two of them made a deal: when they got back to her mother's workplace, Han would practice writing for about an hour and then get a 30-minute break. Her mother would let her borrow her phone to play games until she finished writing two pages of paper.

The little girl's desk, originally one of the ironing areas for finished clothes, had been refurbished by her mother's colleagues. They spread a new cloth over it and placed it by the window, in the most airy corner of the workshop, to catch the fresh air.

Sitting there looking out the window, little Han saw a wide expanse of lush green grass. A herd of buffaloes grazed there, becoming the subject of Han's drawing. "I like coming in here," Han said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Two weeks earlier, Hân had been sent by her mother to Long An to live with her grandmother. But her grandmother was elderly, and there were no friends to play with around the house, so Giang's mother had to bring Hân back and take her to work with her.

What Hân likes most is being able to nap in the air-conditioned room every afternoon, which is "much cooler than at home." "I like coming here because I'm close to my mom, and she teaches me. And I get to eat delicious food here; I love the chicken rice," Gia Hân said with a smile.

Then the 6-year-old girl talked about her dream of becoming a fashion designer. During every break, Han would run to each sewing table to show the seamstresses the homework her mother had given her, sometimes even showing off a picture she had just finished drawing. Almost everyone in the sewing workshop knew and liked the little girl.

Ms. Hong Lien, a sewing technician and colleague of Gia Han's mother, said that while a sewing factory isn't a suitable environment for children's development, Han's presence made everyone happy.

Sometimes, when she was too busy, Ms. Lien would "hire" Han to get her a glass of water and pay her with a piece of candy. "She's a very sweet and gentle girl. We're all factory workers, we understand each other's situations, so everyone supports and helps the mother and daughter," Ms. Lien shared.

Willing to share and provide support.

Ms. Dao My Linh, sales director of Dony Garment Company, said that besides Gia Han, who is regularly present at the factory, after 5 PM each day, many other children of factory workers also appear there. Usually, after 5 PM, children finish school, their parents pick them up and bring them straight to the factory to continue working overtime.

Having become accustomed to having children in the garment factory, the company's leadership shared that, understanding the workers' incomes and knowing each person's circumstances well, they facilitate parents bringing their children to work during this time. The company even proactively uses the reception room as a play area for the children.

"Most of the guests are international, so this room is rarely used. It's also secluded and air-conditioned, making it more comfortable for the children to play in. It won't bother anyone because children, after all, will make noise while playing," Linh confided.

First time going to school

In the last few days of summer, some children had returned to school, while others hadn't, so they were still accompanying their mothers to the factory. Ms. My Giang proudly showed off her quick lunch break as she rushed to the nearby bookstore. As a first-time mother with a child going to school, she was quite clumsy. Partly because she lacked the necessary supplies, while having to prepare quite a few books and tools.

"We had to go back and forth three times just to buy enough. It's the first time going to school, so both of us are excited. I hope that being at school with the teacher and other students will be more fun than being at the factory with Mom," My Giang said with a smile.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/theo-ba-me-vao-cong-xuong-20240825093958108.htm