NGUYEN CUONG TRANG

I don’t remember how many turns down narrow lanes I had to take before reaching the small, old, dilapidated house where a little boy named Nguyen Cuong Trang and his mother live. Actually, the place in which they live is not really a house, but rather, just a small detached room of an old house where four other families live together. The entire living space is only around 12 square meters, (approx. 36 sq. feet). The room is dark, with just barely enough space for a bed and a wardrobe – no other furniture.

The boy, Nguyen Cuong Trang, is physically much smaller than he should for his age. He’s so small, so skinny, and so shy, it’s hard not to feel pity for him. Ironically, his name, “Cuong Trang”, means “strong and healthy”, yet, because he’s malnourished his health is not very good and he constantly gets sick.

“Do you love school?” I asked him.

“Yes”, he answered in a very soft, frail voice.

Trang’s father died of sunstroke as he was harvesting rice during a particularly hot harvest day. Since then, the mother has to work even harder to support herself and her little son. She now has to do all the hard farm work on her own. Yet, the amount of rice grown on a small plot of farmland of 400 sq. m., (approx. 1200 sq. feet) is hardly enough to feed the mother and the son for a year. Occasionally she tries to earn extra money by working on construction sites - when work is available. Her job is to mix the mortar, then carry the mortar and bricks to the builders. She only earns $5 per day from this hard labor. However, this meager income is hardy sufficient to pay for all of their living expenses and her son’s school fees.

After working hard all day, she’s exhausted and weary. Her hands are full of calluses, and her face shows the effects of sorrow for her late husband’s death and worries about her only son’s future. Yet, when talking about her son, her eyes light-up with hope. Like mothers everywhere, her son, (Trang) is the greatest love and hope of this poor woman. I just hope and pray there’s someone out there who is willing to help!

Contributions to assist this poor woman and her son can be made online at HSCV’s website at: http://www.hscv.org/. Or, if you prefer, a check can be forwarded to:

HSCV
2965 Spring Lake Road
Prior Lake, MN 55372
USA

Or:

HSCV Vietnam
So 8, 145E Pho Yen Phu
Tay Ho – Hanoi.
Vietnam
Tel.: 84 4 3 715 3673

Money can be transferred to HSCV:

In Vietnam:

ANZ Bank

Account Name: Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam

Account Number: 3450059

SWIFT: ANZBVNVX

In US:
US Bank

Account Name: HSCV

Account Number: 104756700993

Routing Number: 091000022

For further information, please feel free to contact us. Thank you very much!

Hanoi, January 16th, 2012

Blogged by Pham Quynh Trang