Save herself, save her life
K was born in a poor family in Nam Giang district, Quang Nam province. K’s father passed away early, K’s mother became the breadwinner, working every job to earn the living for her children.
“I also wanted to go to school to study like my friends. But the poverty was there to haunt us, school was just a dream when your stomach was empty. First my brother, then I, both dropped out at 2nd grade. We followed our mother to the hills to plant cassava, pick bamboo shoots and help with housework. We worked restlessly all year round, yet poverty and hunger still kept us captive”, recalled K.
Like many other ethnic women, K got married when no older than 13. The marriage was supposed to be “happily ever after” and life was supposed to get better. But, young age and the lack of pre-marriage mutual understanding got in the way. The couple started disagreeing and fighting after a short time.
Out of disharmony, they decided to depart when their son was still so little.
Drowned in the life difficulties, K got introduced to the couple X and N later in May, 2013. These two promised her a waiting job in a diner in Hanoi, with monthly wage of 5 - 6 million dongs. An easy job, just cleaning the house and the dishes.
It seemed to be an ideal job for a less educated and jobless girl like K. She herself thought of it as an opportunity to change to her life. K nodded without hesitation and followed X and N.
After 4 days traveling to an alien place, X and N transferred K to a group of strangers. That was when K realized that she was lured and trafficked to China. In the following days, K joined other girls in the line for Chinese men to pick as wives.
Trapped where was not her homeland, K never stopped thinking of an escape. Understanding well the greedy’s mind, K told the landlord that many jobless women back home were also looking for a chance to work in China.
The landlord contacted X and N. A couple of days later, these two brought K back to Vietnam in order to get more women to China.
On the way, K sneaked a call for a friend to get her at a bus station in Danang. This friend informed the police, which led to the instant arrest of X and N when they arrived.
K has escaped the vicious circle and led her own life to a new road
Finally home after the nightmare, K couldn’t step out of the house fearing the detraction from the neighbors.
When informed about her case in October, 2013, the Sub-department of Social evils Prevention in Quang Nam joined hands with other local offices to help encourage K and her family.
The Sub-department also proposed to the ETIP (End trafficking in Persons) program of World Vision Vietnam for a support for K. She was then given a cow and 15 chickens along with feedings, with net value of 12,6 million dongs.
K’s life has improved significantly after that. The once shamed and insecure woman has been shifted to the now healthy and happy woman.
Her cow also gave birth to a calf after a year. K and her mother added two more sows, now is having a new herd with 9 piglets.
K work haft-time in a diner near by for extra incomes to support her mother and herself.
Beside her own family business, K is an active contributor in women and community activities such as performances and festivals. She also nodded without hesitance to participate an ETIP conference in June, 2015 in Tam Ky city, to share her story and experience.
The support from ETIP, local authorities and community was truly a source of encouragement and motivation for K, helping her escape the vicious circle and lead her own life to a new road.
Pham Thi Hau, Officer of Sub-department of Social evils Prevention, Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, Quang Nam province