Betrayal
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Vinh and his sister, Nhat, were supposed to go into steady jobs; they were supposed to finally be free to lead good lives.
At least, that was what their family friend had promised them.
Instead, that family friend trafficked Vinh and Nhat into Cambodia and sold them to a criminal organisation who enslaved them in a huge compound the size of a small town. Black squares blocked out the windows. Razor wire ran in coils along the ten-foot high perimeter walls. Armed guards watched their every move.
It was not just guns that the guards carried, but steel bats and electric prods – and they used them freely. It was their job to make sure that the thousands of enslaved people under their watch obediently carried out the task that they had been trafficked there to do: scam other people online.
For 15 hours a day, Vinh was forced to sit at a computer and pose as a successful single person looking for a romantic relationship before asking interested people to transfer money into a fake investment scheme. If he wasn’t able to scam enough people to satisfy his captors, they took away his food and brought out their weapons.
Vinh was severely beaten with an iron rod. Day after day, he heard screams from all around the compound as other people received beatings. He knew he and his sister needed to escape – no matter what.
Armed guards prevented Vinh from escaping.
Vinh was forced to scam people online for hours on end.
Wayward
Six months after he was first enslaved, Vinh found a phone. He knew that he would face severe punishment if the armed guards caught him using it, but that was nothing compared to the constant suffering he and his sister would face if they continued living as they were.
When he reached out for help, Blue Dragon mounted a rescue operation to bring Vinh and his sister home. We helped them to sneak past the guards and took them to a safe shelter before beginning the long journey back to Vietnam on foot.
Like many people we rescue from slavery, Vinh had no stable home to return to. His father left home when he was very young, and his relationship with his mother deteriorated after she remarried.
In his early 20s, Vinh felt lost. He briefly moved to another city to work on an industrial site with some distant relatives, but he soon moved back to his hometown to stay with his grandmother, aunt and cousins – the only people in his family who make him feel cared for.
Vinh found a phone and reached out for help.
Justice
In early 2024, Vinh experienced another unhappy reunion – the family friend who trafficked him and his sister.
After trafficking Vinh, he spent years on the run in Cambodia. But as the Cambodian police began to catch up with him, he resorted to desperate measures and attempted to illegally cross the border back into Vietnam. The Vietnamese police caught him in the process, and Blue Dragon represented Vinh against him in court.
He was sentenced to 19 years in prison and ordered to pay financial compensation to Vinh and his sister. For Vinh, the sentencing was heavy with emotion.
“All this time I’ve been waiting for justice,” he shares. “Finally I feel like I can put it behind me.”
Blue Dragon represented Vinh in court.
Happier, calmer, brighter
During the court case, Vinh mentioned that he was interested in working in hospitality. He had briefly worked in a restaurant a few years ago, and felt that he had a knack for interacting with customers.
Hearing this, Blue Dragon social worker Pham visited Vinh in his hometown where they discussed his options. Then Vinh came to Ho Chi Minh City, where we introduced him to several vocational training programs before asking him to choose which one suited him best.
“I was very impressed when I first came to Ho Chi Minh City and the staff took me shopping for even the smallest daily necessities and arranged my accommodation. It made me feel safe, secure and deeply moved.”
Vinh chose to do a barista course and was soon spending his days soaking up everything he could about his dream field while receiving ongoing support from Blue Dragon – including psychological care.
“When I first arrived home, I was in a very bad state. I got angry easily and would curse whenever something upset me. Thanks to Blue Dragon, I’ve been able to recover and I’m very different now. I feel happier and calmer. My face looks brighter.”
Blue Dragon took Vinh shopping for everything he needed.
Vinh told us about his dream.
Free at last
Last month, Vinh landed a barista job in his hometown. He’s doing his best to keep learning and perfecting his craft, and appreciates new sides to the role with each shift.
“What I really enjoy is that every drink reflects the dedication and creativity of the person who makes it. I love the feeling of serving customers drinks prepared with my own care and effort.
It is so much more than a job for Vinh. Combined with all of the legal support, psychological care and vocational training, it is the culmination of Vinh’s long struggle for freedom. From poverty, from slavery and from the shackles of his trauma, he has given everything he can to take control of his own future.
“With this career, I feel I can work not only here, but have so many opportunities elsewhere. I’m 23 years old, I have a profession and I can work anywhere in the world and earn money to support myself wherever I go.”
With a professional skill behind him, Vinh is free to live his life.
