Giang A Lien and Giang A Phanh at the house of their uncle Giang A Thin.
Three children in the remote mountainous commune of Trung Ly, Thanh Hoa Province, are struggling to survive after losing their father and being abandoned by their mother. Their only asset, a thatched house, collapsed years ago. They now live with their uncle in a cramped home.
After a winding, rugged journey through mountain roads, reporters arrived at the modest home of Giang A Thin, 43, in Suoi Hoc village. In front of the house, two young boys were silently drying cassava.
“Those are my nephews, A Lien and A Phanh,” Thin said with a sigh. “A Lien stays at a boarding school, and The Trung Ly Border Guard is raising A Phanh. They’re home for the summer break. I feel sorry for them; they’ve lost their parents’ love.”
Giang A Thin
Thin recounted that his older brother, Giang A Sua, and sister-in-law, Thao Thi Chung, had three sons, Giang A Sa (17), Giang A Lien (15), and Giang A Phanh (13). Sua suffered from heart failure and was unable to work, while the family of five relied entirely on Chung’s income from odd jobs.
Sua passed away in 2016 after a severe heart attack. Two years later, Chung remarried and abandoned her children. That same year, the family’s deteriorating thatched house collapsed, leaving the children homeless.
“Seeing them so helpless in the middle of the mountains, I brought A Lien and A Phanh home to raise. Our elderly parents took care of A Sa,” Thin said.
Despite having a large family of his own and limited resources, Thin took the children in. His household now includes five of his children plus two nephews. The family lives off just two hectares of cassava and corn and a few pigs and cows.
“Sometimes we have nothing to eat but wild vegetables and plain boiled water,” he said.
In 2023, A Phanh suffered a leg injury after falling onto a bamboo stake. With no money for treatment, the wound became infected. Seeing his condition, officers from the Trung Ly Border Guard brought him to the hospital and covered all expenses. Since then, they have adopted him as a foster child and continue to care for him.
Despite the hardships, all three boys are determined students. A Sa is currently enrolled in both vocational and academic training at Thanh Hoa Mountainous Region Vocational School. A Lien and A Phanh attend Trung Ly Boarding Secondary School.
“The older they get, the more I worry. I’m unsure if I can afford their school fees, meals, and daily needs. I wish I had the means to support their education and build them a small house,” Thin shared.
Giang A Hoa, Party Secretary of Suoi Hoc village, confirmed the family’s difficult situation.
“Thin and his wife, though poor, are incredibly kind-hearted. Besides raising their five children, and these two nephews, they’re also caring for two more orphaned nieces after another sibling died from heart disease. They work tirelessly growing cassava and corn and raising livestock just to feed nine children,” Hoa said.
“The local government and surrounding villagers are also impoverished and can only offer limited support. Through Dantri, we sincerely appeal to readers to lend a helping hand so these children can stay in school and have a roof over their heads,” he added.
If you can help, donate through:
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