Economic growth in Vietnam makes the cities look attractive to poor families from rural areas. Often without legal papers, proper access cards to social services, children who have migrated to the cities find themselves in the street and become easy prey for exploitation.


Solutions proposed by Terre des hommes

Children in street situation – Since 2001, Terre des hommes (Tdh) runs, together with Vietnamese partner organisations, a programme that aims at the reintegration of children and young people in a street situation in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho City and Cao Lanh Town. The objective is to ensure the social and professional reintegration of children and young people at risk, through schooling, vocational training, life skills and support in obtaining legal papers.
In the past, Tdh has supported shelters for school age children and group homes for adolescents who cannot live with their families. Today, three counselling & referral desks have been established in poor urban centres where social workers do preventive work with families and children at risk.
Professional integration of children and young people who have dropped out of school, because of their age or because of the economic situation of their family, is essential. These boys and girls have the opportunity to learn a job, in mechanics, sewing, hairdressing, catering etc., depending on opportunities and motivations of each of them.


Results achieved in 2008

Support for children in a street situation – Terre des hommes supported individually 640 children and young people in 2008. Tdh also supported 2 shelters that hosted 51 children, as well as 4 community-based houses where 99 young people enjoyed a family-like environment. In Ho Chi Minh City and in two cities in the Mekong Delta, Tdh’s partner organisations run three counselling and referral desks where social workers advise and support children, young people and families, which represented 490 young people followed up individually. Including all those who benefited from services sporadically Tdh supported a total of 2’339 persons.


Challenges to be taken up

Strengthening partner organisations – It is of utmost importance to Terre des hommes to provide continuous training for the project teams of partner organisations (for instance regarding project cycle management and fundraising), in order for them to be able to go on with their activities in an autonomous way after the withdrawal of Tdh at the end of 2010.
Rural exodus – Due to fast economic development, cities expand and many poor families from rural areas decide to migrate to urban centres in order to find employment. This rural exodus widens the gap between poor and rich.
Legal recognition – In rural areas, many children are not registered at birth, which causes them many problems later on, as legal papers are required in order to go to school, find a job and accommodation in the city. The aim of Tdh’s projects is not only to help children to obtain valid documents but also to raise the awareness of all parties to this issue so that the process may be facilitated in the future.


STORY - inh, 17 years old

Binh comes from a distant commune in Dien Bien Province, situated in the north of Vietnam. At the age of 15 he left his family that lived in extreme poverty. Before leaving, he had worked for some time and managed to save some money. His father was an alcoholic, and Binh nurtured hopes that his leaving would encourage his father to reflect on it and quit drinking.
Binh got on a coach to Hanoi, then Hue and finally ended up in Ho Chi Minh City. Having exhausted his savings, he had to spend the nights in the bus station. One night the police caught him and took him to a closed educational centre run by one of Tdh’s partner organisation. He was scared to be sent back home immediately, so he first pretended not to remember his place of origin.
After being officially admitted into a group home – under Tdh’s social and professional integration programme – he had the opportunity to start an apprenticeship as a traditional tailor to make ao dai (national dress in Vietnam). With the support of educators, Binh decided to get back in touch with his family. He would like to see them again, but only after achieving his training that will allow him to be independent.