Bau Bang village in Danang City is locally-known as a place for recovery of women who were former drug addicts and prostitutes.
Bau Bang village brings hope to those without
The village is 40 kilometres northwest of Danang. It is isolated, and surrounded by mountains and forest, and is currently home to dozens of women.
A change of life
The municipal government of Danang set up Vocational Training Centre No. 05-06 in Hoa Bac Commune, Hoa Vang District for former sex workers and drug addicts and some of them decided to stay and start a new life in the nearby village of Bau Bang.
Tran Thi Minh Nguyet, 57, from the central province of Quang Nam, had an unhappy childhood that led her down this type of path. She was orphaned when her grandmother died.
Afterwards, she wandered around just trying to find enough to eat. In 1982, she was imprisoned for prostitution.
After she was released, there were very few options for her. She ended up turning back to her former work, and was arrested again, then sent to the centre.
Many other residents have similar stories as Nguyet. But here they are given a chance to change their lives.
Making a living
Several years ago, Bau Bang was a desolate area, surrounded by forest. The residents of the village had to work as hired labourers.
Tran Thi Phuc, 59, from Quang Nam Province, a former resident, said, "When we got out nobody wanted to hire us. We had to gather firewood to sell, and earned about VND5,000 a day. It was just enough to buy some vegetables and sometimes a bit of rice."
It took a certain time for local residents to change their behaviour towards us and gradually we found job and set up new relationships with locals,” she added.
Struggling to earn a living
New lease on life
Most of the women who were sent to the centre thought their life was over. But, with the support of the workers at the centre, they began to realise there was a possibility of change.
According to Ho Tang Phuc, Chairman of Hoa Bac Communal People’s Committee, the centre started out with around 20 residents. After being released from the centre, the local government provided funds for housing for the women."
