A decrepit old woman with loads of scrap iron on her shoulder is often seen to be tottering along Phan Boi Chau Street, Lan Ong Street and Han Thuyen Street (Nha Trang). It is surprised that such an emaciated 85-year-old woman has to earn living by scrap iron...
A decrepit old woman with loads of scrap iron on her shoulder is often seen to be tottering along Phan Boi Chau Street, Lan Ong Street and Han Thuyen Street (Nha Trang). It is surprised that such an emaciated 85-year-old woman has to earn living by scrap iron.
She is Nguyen Thi Tho, often called Mrs. Co, born in 1928, living with her family at No. 123 Phuong Sai Street, Nha Trang. It is a temporary house in a small damp lane.
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Her eldest daughter, a widow, have suffered cerebral vascular accident. Nobody in Mrs. Co’s family can help her because of their destituteness.
Previously, Mrs. Co was supported VND180,000/month by the Ward for her poor condition. Because of her weakness and far distance, she had her son-in-law, Mr. Y, to receive the pension and paid him VND30,000/time. Y says, “I earn only VND170,000/day as a mason. I have to be off on the day I go to the Ward to receive the pension for her. She knows that and gives me some money.”
Recently, Y caused traffic accident in Van Ninh Commune and his motorbike has been seized. At present, Y has to work very hard to pay the fine and take his vehicle back although he has not recovered his health from the accident.
Now, subsidized VND270,000/month, Mrs. Co still has to make her living and support her disabled daughter. She says that it’s very difficult now to earn by scrap iron. She has to walk 5 to 7 kilometers every day but the earnings are hardly worth the bother. There are days that she is not able to walk home after a hard-working day and has to get a pedicab home at a price more than her one-day earnings.
Mrs. Co hopes to have some money in case of sick time so that she is not a burden to her poor family. We strongly hope to receive supports from readers everywhere to help Mrs. Co with her wish.
H.N
