ORPHANAGES' ALLEY

Before I left for Viet-Nam, I read an article published on Tuoi-Tre Online magazine early 2009, which it described a story about many young boys & girls, who lost their parent or were abandoned by them, and they resided together in a small alley No. 115 on Nguyen Du street, District 1 in HCM, a former hotspot for drug addicts and prostitutes. The story also mentioned about a teacher name Hue-Lan, for more than 20 years, she has been teaching hundreds of students in her 10-square meter room, many of them were from this group of youths bonds together , kind of a surrogate family, reinforced by the help of locals and nurture of this teacher.

At the bustling dawn of each day in the tight quarters of Alley No. 115 on Nguyen Du street, this group of young children sort their wares in preparation for the all day wandering on the street of HCM to peddle the items, which is either lottery tickets, newspapers, shoe-shinning equipment, post-cards, etc... Before they break up and disappearing into the city, they gather near the alley’s entrance to receive free breakfasts from several street food-vendors in front of the Alley.

The story has touched many good hearts not only in HCM city but all over the country, and perhaps the world, which later on I’ve learnt that many had indeed sent gift, money and clothes to teacher Hue-Lan to help the kids.

From the article described above, I keep a note and plan to pay them a visit on this trip, to see what else I can do. I arrived at the Alley No. 115 above couple days ago and met Mr. To-Truong (means a Community Leader) of the alley. He asked me of whom I was looking for and after I told him the teacher’s name Hue-Lan. He just shook his head and inquired whether I was there to help the orphanages, which I confirmed with a node. Mr. To-Truong then told me it was all lies or the truth has been twisted to present a touching story in order for teacher Hue-Lan pocket the money from unknowing charity groups or person. The truth according to him that, yes - Hue-Lan is a teacher, but parents pay her $600,000 VND per month for each pupil, not free to the young orphanages as the article said, and when the officer asked her credential, which she produced a certificate/license, it’s for teaching the first grade only, but Hue-Lan also taught the 2^nd and 3^rd grade, that violated her permit.

After a few minutes exchange story with Mr. To-Truong, I thanks him for the information then left, but in my mind, I already decide to return in a day or so, to find out the truth.

Kathy & I returned to the Alley No.115 couple days later, and after I parked my motorbike at a nearby street, we then ventured into the Alley. On the left, there is a row of “houses”, which it’s actually just about 2x 4 meter size, big enough for a bed, a small table & chair, plus a locker to store clothes or valuable belongs.

When I saw a little girl, about 10 years old, study alone by herself in one of the “houses” that I walk by, I asked if she knows the teacher name Hue-Lan and whether she can lead us to her house, which she smiled and nod, because actually it’s her teacher. The girl then led us zigzags into an even smaller alleys deep inside a maze of tiny houses before we standing in front of a 2 story building (which the only few existed), then she went inside and fetch her teacher for us.

We met a middle-age women, a widow since her husband had passed away few years ago, who introduced herself to us as Hue-Lan and invited us to come in and sit on the floor, because there is no furniture, except for a folding bed, an altar for her husband and a corner of the room is served as a kitchen. After exchanged few pleasantries, I asked her about the statement from the Community leader, which she said almost everything he said was corrected, except missing few other “detail” information that he neglecting to mention it to us. After the story has published and soon the neighborhood noticed that many charity groups or people with good intention had come to inquire and see them –teacher Hue-Lan and the orphanage – to bring gift and donate money to help them. Hue-Lan confirmed that she has license to teach only first grade and some of her pupils indeed still have parent, which paid tuition for them. However, there are still many other children either was abandoned by their parent or parents are incarcerated, imprison due to drugs related or committed crime, etc… and no relative to care for them.

As I mentioned earlier, during the day most of these children wandering all over the city to earn some money and return to her place late afternoon or at night to eat, sleep and learn some basic reading and math lesson from her without fee; some are staying overnight at their relatives and spend their day by roaming the city. According to Hue-Lan , the little girl we met and took us here name Hang, she is 10 years old and recently became an orphanage, because mother passed away few years ago , her father was a drug addict and was in jail on some petty crimes, then couple months ago hanged himself in his cell.

The little house where Hang now lives previously was more an 2m x 4m shed like all of the neighbor and after a fire accident luckily only destroyed few “houses”, so the city decided to clear the alley and build a row of little 2mx4 m houses with brick and aluminum roofing to replace the slum shelter that could bring a bigger disaster when a next fire happened. Recently, the city government announced that they will take over the slum area, including the alley, to develop new commercial or business center, thus where about the current resident to be relocated is still unknown. Back to the little girl name Hang, Hue-Lan said she is a bright and very smart girl, which last year she was one of the Honor Students at her school and earned a scholarship. Since Hang’s father now gone and has no other relative, Hue-Lan treats her like her own daughter, but Hang still remained at her house, because Hue-Lan said there is no more room at her place - as 3 or 4 other kids like Hanh has no where to sleep, except at her house.

There are many “Alley stories” like throughout this city that I will eventually visit them as much as I can in the near future. Before we left the alley, we gave some money to My-Hang to buy new clothes, books and school supplies, etc… at first she was reluctant to receive gift from stranger, but with her neighbor’s encouragement, My-Hang decided to accept it with gratitude that I hoped she will use it to improve her future, as I promised that I will come back or send others to visit her and see her progress, as well as wanting to know where these people will be relocated when the city government forced them out of this alley in the near future.