It has been nearly three months since the city first imposed social distancing rules on May 31. And as the rules are being extended in the city through September 15, many homeless people here have no other way to live other than to go out onto the streets awaiting for food and donations.
The elderly woman has stayed at a public bus station on Ham Nghi Street in District 1 for over a month
87-year-old Le Thi Kim Dung who came from the neighbouring province of Dong Nai, has been staying at a public bus station on Ham Nghi Street in District 1 for over a month. She said that she used to work at a cafe at Ben Thanh Market. When the market closed for Covid-19 prevention, she came to do the cleaning work for some shops and besides payment, they let her stay at the shops. Now all the shops have closed and many staff have returned to their hometown, she has no home and has to go out to the street.
The elderly woman said that her biggest dream now is being admitted to a pagoda but most local pagodas have also closed for virus prevention. "Living out here on the street, I fear the rain the most," she said. "Some nights I got wet through and could not sleep at all. I hope that the pandemic will soon be curbed and I can return to work again, or I can be admitted to a pagoda or a social protection centre for homeless people to spend my final days."
A charity group recently found out about the elderly woman and is supporting her with food and some money. They said they were arranging a place for her to stay during the social distancing period and would contact a social centre to send her to after that.
Kim Dung is among many homeless people in HCM City who now can be found waiting for food and donations on many streets. Nguyen Thi Thuy, 59, used to earn a living collecting scrap metal. Despite difficulties, she has kept a dog that follows her every day on the streets.
"Now all the scrap metal dealers have stopped working, I can’t earn any more money," she said. "I have no way but to sit on the street and wait for food from kind donors."
Nguyen Thi Thanh, 51, and her husband came to Ho Chi Minh City from Thanh Hoa Province over a year ago. The couple are disabled and drive a three-wheel motorcycle. They sold lottery tickets along the street. To save money, they don't rent a house but sleep in their vehicle at night. Their work has been suspended for some recent months due to the pandemic.
"Now we’re also living on charity meals," she said. "I only hope the pandemic will end soon and we can work again."
Many homeless children who used to earn some money from selling lottery tickets, shoes-shining or collecting metal scrap now can also be found on the streets waiting for donated food every day.
Many homeless motorbike drivers have also lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
Lines of people waiting for donations on Nguyen Van Cu Bridge which connects District 5 and District 8.
On the evening of August 15, head of the Ministry of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs' Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Pham Anh Thang led a delegation to visit low-income and homeless people in some areas in the city.
The delegation gave each person a gift including milk, mineral water, face masks, cakes and some money.
The official talked with the people about their situation, encouraged them to try to overcome the difficulties posed by the pandemic and instructed them to register for financial support from the government.
It is expected that the ministry will submit some more proposals to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on additional solutions to better support low-income migrant workers who are staying during the period of social distancing in the city.
According to the director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Le Minh Tan, they have arranged to send 85 homeless people to local social protection centres since the social distancing rules were applied.
"We’ve directed local districts to gather lists of homeless people and conduct Covid-19 tests for them," he said. "If they test negative for the virus, we’ll send them to social protection centres. Those infected with Covid-19 will be sent to hospitals for treatment."
