Needy people in Ward 2, Phu Nhuan District are waiting in line to receive food support.

In an alley on Ho Hoc Lam Street (Binh Tan District), dozens of people are living in rented cramped rooms. Many of them need help to overcome days of difficulties, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Tuan, a resident in this alley, works as a freelance building worker but he has had to stay at home for several months because construction work has halted. The whole family lives on his small savings, which is dwindling. His family is living on support from a few benefactors, and neighbors.

Even households living in the central districts are facing the same situation.

In Phu Nhuan District, in a decent but tiny house in alley 524 on Phan Dang Luu Street, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh, her husband and five sons and daughter-in-law have been struggling for a few months as all of them could not go out to work. During the epidemic period, this family has had only two meals a day, not three as usual.

Next to Thanh's house, Mrs. Nhuy's family with three members are in similar situation as all of them temporarily lost their jobs in late April, when the fourth wave of the epidemic broke out in HCM City.

Families like Thanh’s and Nhuy’s must live in the most economical way, with little support from their neighbors.

The closure of non-essential businesses and travel restrictions has heavily affected self-employed workers, poor students, and laborers in the tourism and transportation industries.

For example, Mr. Vinh (Ward 2, Phu Nhuan), works as a tour guide. He is the main breadwinner for a family of six members. Vinh has lost his job for months. Currently, the whole family must spend very frugally in order to overcome the hard time.

Near Vinh's housing is the rented room of Mr. Nguyen Minh Hieu and his son. The son, a waiter at a private hotel, lost his job nearly one year ago. Hieu, a worker, has become weak after an accident. The father and son are struggling in a small rented room in an alley on Phan Dang Luu Street. Occasionally they receive supplies from benefactors.

Although the city has a policy to support families in need, not everyone is eligible to access it. Moreover, for many households, even though they receive subsidies, the assistance is not enough.

As the city continues to impose social distancing in the coming days, the number of disadvantaged people will increase. HCM City is calling for sponsors to offer money and necessities to help the disadvantaged.

Hai Dang

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