A birthday party cut short
Six-year-old Ha had a lot to be happy about at her cousin’s birthday party. Her family were all home, and Blue Dragon dropped by with a surprise – a huge birthday cake for everyone to share!
When the cake was served, everyone sat around the table with birthday boy Tuan. But as they celebrated, something else started happening in the background.
Ha’s grandfather, who lost the ability to speak after suffering a stroke, took out his knife, sat down on a plastic stool and began dismantling pieces of scrap. It was time for the family to begin work.
Tuan’s mother placed the birthday hat on his head.
Everyone sang happy birthday as Tuan got ready to cut the cake.
Ha couldn’t wait to get a slice!
Tuan had never used a knife before, so his cousins lent a helping hand.
All smiles at the party table!
Ha’s grandfather had a lot of work to do.
He dismantled disused smoke detectors for parts.
Generations of walkers
Every day, Ha and her family walk the streets of Ho Chi Minh City collecting scrap until almost midnight. Her grandparents and her mother have lived their whole lives this way. Now it’s her turn.
As well as her mother and grandparents, Ha lives with three of her cousins whose parents are not able to care for them. The seven of them live in a makeshift home made from wood, metal and plastic that they have collected from the streets.
Their home is surrounded by piles of scrap, which they clean, disassemble and sort into piles before selling to recycling centres. With all seven of them walking the streets every day, they earn just enough money to eat.
The family home is surrounded by scrap.
A bedroom inside the home.
There are several areas dedicated to storing scrap.
Just a little longer…
In 2024, Blue Dragon met Ha and her mother while they were out collecting scrap one evening. After building up their trust over several weeks, we travelled to their home to assess their needs and work out a long-term support plan.
First, we began providing them with food and daily necessities. This support meant that they didn’t need all hands on deck all day, allowing two of Ha’s cousins to begin school. At 15 years old, they have just learned to write their own names.
Seeing her cousins go to school was eye-opening for Ha and she began to wonder what it must be like to wake up every day and learn about the world with other children her age. She was really excited when we helped her to enrol in a short course to prepare her for primary school, but the course only last two months – she would have to wait a little longer before she could officially begin Grade 1.
Until then, Ha continued to spend her days walking the streets with her mother – even on family birthdays.
Blue Dragon met Ha and her mother on the streets.
We often meet them for a catch up.
Ha had a lot of fun at the preschool course.
She started to learn basic skill like reading and writing.
Tuan’s birthday evening
A few hours after Tuan’s birthday celebrations, we met up with him and his family again as they collected scrap on the streets.
As usual, Ha sat inside the trolley as her mother pushed her around, stopping whenever she saw discarded pieces of cardboard, metal and plastic that might be sellable. They walk like this for six kilometres every day.
Among the scrap, Ha picked out a shiny pink cardboard box. There was no toy inside, but she smiled widely as she played with the box while her mother continued pushing her. They still had many kilometres ahead of them before they could return home for the evening.
Ha loves spending time with her mother.
She sees her Blue Dragon friends as big brothers and sisters.
With no school, Ha has very few friends her age.
Many local shop owners greet Ha and her mother warmly as they make their way around their usual spots.
Blue Dragon has built up a great relationship with Ha’s family.
Ha likes to play with brightly coloured boxes that her mother finds.
Ha’s new world
In August 2025, Ha’s life changed completely… as she finally began Grade 1!
Instead of waking up and collecting scrap every day, Ha wakes up excited for her cousins to take her to school. She is making new friends, learning about the world and loving every moment.
On the day that Blue Dragon took her to buy her new uniform, she was so excited that she didn’t want to let it go.
“Mum, look! This is my own uniform! I’ll keep it safe and wear it to school!”
With an education, Ha can grow and thrive like every child has the right to do; and she can break her family out of the poverty that has trapped them for generations.
School uniform time!
Ha couldn’t wait to get started.
Ha didn’t want to put her new uniform down for a second.
