Photo feature: A poor village at Saigon Bridge pier

This hamlet is a few hundred meters from the Saigon Bridge pier, in An Phu Ward, District 2, HCM City. Here, hundreds of migrants live in coconut leaf roof houses built from discarded materials such as iron, plywood, brick and mortar. The road to the hamlet, located only about 200 meters from the Hanoi Highway, is swampy and waterlogged. Years ago, when District 2 started developing, many buildings were built and these projects recruited huge numbers of workers. Many people from southwestern provinces came here to find a job. They built temporary houses in the area. The hamlet is formed on land designated for building a park. According to local residents, they were not satisfied with the land compensation policy, so they did not move. The tin-roofed rooms are built for lease and the renters are migrants from the southwestern provinces like Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh and others. The rent for a four-person room is about VND1 million ($47). Men are mainly construction workers and women collect scraps, work as vendors, etc. Some women stay at home to take care of their children or prepare meals. Raising fighting cocks is a hobby that can turn a profit for the hamlet’s men. The average price of a cock is VND2-3 million ($95-145). The living conditions are not hygienic. Bui Quang Phi, 14, from Soc Trang, dropped out of school when he was a 4th grader to follow his parents to this hamlet. Because of difficulties in daily life and the lack of a permanent residence, children in the hamlet do not go to school. Vo Thi Thuy Duong, 24, who has a 4-yr-old son and whose husband is a motorcycle repairman, said that life in her hometown was extremely difficult, so her family went to Saigon to find a new, better life. Every day, Duong collects scrap or stays at home to take care of her children. The woman plan to work for about two more years in Saigon to save enough money to return to her hometown. The life in makeshift homes in the hamlet is similar to that in a mountain village although it is near the bustling center of Saigon. Many old people have moved to the hamlet with their children. Mr. Hai suffers from severe back pain so he stays at home with his grandchildren. Nguyen Hai Dang, 1 year old, was born in this substandard room. Asked whether he will be sent to school later, his mother – Yen Nhi – just smiled sadly and shook her head. People in the hamlet gather to chat when they are out of work. Twenty kids live in the hamlet, but they do not go to school.

Source: vietnamnet.vn

Photo feature: A poor village at Saigon Bridge pier

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