From grief to hope: Supporting families and their children post-pandemic

Ho Chi Minh City, VIET NAM (ILO News) - Down a narrow lane in Binh Tan district, a row of rented homes stood side-by-side, their corrugated metal roofs reflecting the afternoon sun. Inside a modest, 7-square-meter space, Le Thi Thu Thao, 52, navigated the routines of daily life. A small altar with a framed photograph held a silent vigil. The youthful face in the picture, her husband, seemed to hold a familiar warmth in his eyes, a stark contrast to the deep sadness in Thao's gaze.

The summer of 2021 had painted Ho Chi Minh City a grim picture. The ruthless Delta variant of COVID-19 ripped through the densely populated city, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Like other migrant workers who had moved to the southern metropolis from other provinces and living in these tightly-packed neighbourhoods, Thao’s family wasn't spared during the pandemic. Thao’s husband, a seemingly healthy man, fell victim to the virus. The city, gripped by a full lockdown, became a labyrinth of despair. Hospitals overflowed, and frantic pleas for medical attention were lost in the cacophony of suffering. Although Thao, managed to get him to the hospital, it was too late. The virus claimed him there, leaving behind the overwhelming responsibility of single parenthood.

“Even though my job at the leather shoes factory brings in a little over 7 million VND a month (US$275), it's barely enough to cover the costs of raising and educating my two daughters, one about to start university and the other still in 7th grade.” Thao confided. Thao has tried to take in additional work, yet a night of making 2000 bottle caps only brings in roughly 50,000 VND (US$2).

© ILO/ Tran Thuy Duong

© ILO/ Tran Thuy Duong

Just a few kilometres away, also within Binh Tan District, lives Pham Thi Huyen, 43, who bears the same invisible scars of grief. Huyen lost her husband to the pandemic exactly two weeks after Thao. A carpenter by trade, her husband, then only 46 years old, in a final act of love, had climbed out from the second story of their family home in order to protect his family from the virus. Within a week, he succumbed to COVID-19 in a field hospital Huyen was now left to care for her two young children, a now 11-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son, with her single income of roughly 8 million VND a month (US$315) also from a leather shoes factory.

“Even if I wanted to take an additional shift I couldn’t, because I have to go home to pick up and take care of the kids. I am working to earn a living for them, so if I worked overtime and something happened to them, it would be all for nothing and I would be devastated.”

© ILO/ Tran Thuy Duong

© ILO/ Tran Thuy Duong

Thao and Huyen are just two among the countless families in Ho Chi Minh City shattered by COVID-19. In some of the worst cases, both parents were lost to the virus, leaving grandparents to take care of the grandchildren. In other cases, main breadwinners lost their jobs, adding another layer of hardship to the struggle.

Recognizing the devastating economic and emotional impact of the pandemic, ILO’s ENHANCE* project, funded by the US Department of Labor, conducted a comprehensive survey of children affected by the pandemic in three targeted districts of Ho Chi Minh City, including Binh Tan. Based on this data, a targeted support plan was developed in collaboration with local authorities.

Through a partnership with the city’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, local authorities and Saigon Children Charity, as of March 2024, the project had provided vital assistance to over 779 children, including those of Thao and Huyen. This support offers a comprehensive package designed to empower these children and their guardians to rebuild their lives. This includes essential nutrition support to ensure their physical well-being, educational assistance to keep them in school and provide a path to a brighter future, and even vocational training for some, equipping them with valuable skills for entering the workforce. Recognizing the psychological trauma inflicted by loss, the project has also engaged specialists to offer individual and group support to children and their guardians. This creates a safe space for them to process their grief and find the strength to move forward.

For Thao and Huyen, the support has become a beacon in the storm.

“Life is definitely difficult but I have to keep fighting. I promised my husband that I would do all I can to ensure the kids get the education they deserve. The support from the project has been such a big comfort. Thank you!” – shared Thao, a flicker of hope returning to her eyes.

Huyen echoed this sentiment. “I am so grateful for the project’s help and support for the children, their school fees and essential needs. It’s made a huge difference.”

Both women, with the weight of their grief eased by the project's support, now hold onto the same unwavering wish: to see their children reach their full potential, a dream they can fight for together.

---

* The support is implemented by the US Department of Labor-funded ILO project, Enhancing National Capacity to Prevent and Reduce Child Labour in Viet Nam (ENHANCE), in partnership with the Ministry of Labour Invalids and Social Affairs.