Our Families Will Always Be At Our Side

Hoa left her home in Vietnam and went to Malaysia with a friend three years ago in search of employment opportunities. She badly needed the money because dad was paralysed after a meeting with a motorbike accident and mom was in extreme distress that required treatment but the family could not afford it. The responsibility of taking care of them was upon Hoa and she loves her parents so she went to great lengths to make sure she could meet their needs.

But without realising it, Hoa had been trafficked into Malaysia and forced to work in brothels and massage shops. Locked and unable to go anywhere, she worked every day and lost track of time until she managed to get a mobile phone and contacted mom through social media in 2016.

It had been about three years since they had heard from Hoa and mom was devastated to learn the conditions of her daughter’s employment. Pooling together money from the neighbours and relatives, mom had to travel to Malaysia to bring Hoa back home because she was simply too ill to travel.

Eventually diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis, Hoa became extremely weak and could not move. She lay at home and mom would ask for plain porridge from the neighbours so Hoa could get some nourishment. The family was so poor they had to borrow money to buy medicine every day so Hoa could live.

HAGAR Vietnam got to know of Hoa and her family and immediately contacted one of the agencies in the local province so that emergency support could be given. A case manager from HAGAR regularly contacted the family to check in on Hoa’s situation during the critical period to provide advice and support for her health.

Through the life of Hoa, HAGAR Vietnam was able to establish a relationship with a local partner in An Giang province and the case managers worked closely together to understand Hoa’s situation and determine how best to help her and her family.

Because no one is able to earn an income, the family has not been able to put food on the table. Moreover, mom’s air ticket to Malaysia had resulted in a huge debt on the family.

Even though the circumstances seem overwhelming, HAGAR remains hopeful because Hoa’s family is extremely close-knit, providing support and caring for one another. To ensure Hoa gets adequate and timely medical treatment, HAGAR has arranged for transportation to hospitals in Ho Chi Minh city for healthcare and nutrition. Her health has improved tremendously and HAGAR is still working with Hoa and her family to help them stand up on their feet again. The journey to wholeness is a long path and we remain committed to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.