Wandering for a living in the heart of Ha Tinh city

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen has been making a living as a street vendor for more than 15 years.

For more than 15 years, on an old bicycle with 2 small plastic boxes containing banh ngao, banh beo,... Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen, living in Thanh Sen ward, Ha Tinh province, has been wandering to make a living through countless streets. Her bicycle rolls from small alleys to the main road. "Who wants banh ngao, banh beo?" - Ms. Huyen's cry does not ring far, but is familiar enough to her regular customers that people can recognize her voice at first hearing.

Ms. Huyen shared: "Snack cakes and rice cakes have to be cooked early in the morning, and then in the afternoon, they are loaded onto bicycles to sell to have customers. The income is not much, only about a few dozen to 200,000 to 300,000 VND per day, but if you try hard and save, you will have enough income to take care of your children's schooling and daily living."

The income is not much but enough for Ms. Huyen to cover her living expenses.

Snacks like banh beo and banh ngot are familiar favorites of many people.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, we can still easily see street vendors like Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen quietly weaving through every street. The items they carry are also very simple: nail clippers, tissues, chewing gum, ballpoint pens, fruits, children's toys. Some people do not have capital, just take the goods to sell and make a profit of a few thousand dong per item. Although precarious, that is still the only source of income to support them and their families.

Street vendors have become a familiar part of the memories of many city dwellers.

Ms. Tran Thi Hoan, living in the old Thach Dai commune, now Tran Phu ward, Ha Tinh province, specializes in selling small household items in plastic baskets to restaurants and cafes. She said: "I always cherish every penny I earn. My wish is simply to sell all my baskets so I can go home early to gather around the family dinner table." Sometimes, Ms. Hoan just consoles herself by saying: "Street vendors like me are also happy, being able to go here and there to every corner."

Many of them are from mountainous districts such as Huong Khe, Vu Quang, Can Loc (old)... They left their hometowns because of little productive land and no stable jobs, so they went to the city - where they believe that "as long as there are people, there will be opportunities to sell". Or even from other provinces and cities, they came to Ha Tinh to make a living because they hoped that a friendly locality with honest and gentle people would welcome them and give them more opportunities to make a living.

Mr. Truong Van Tu, from Quang Ninh commune, Thanh Hoa province, came to Ha Tinh to start a business more than 4 years ago.

Mr. Truong Van Tu, from Quang Ninh commune, Thanh Hoa province, left his hometown for Ha Tinh more than 4 years ago. He makes a living by applying tempered glass to mobile phones. On an old motorbike, carrying a heavy backpack with many items, he wanders to many shops. Mr. Tu patiently invites customers to apply tempered glass to protect their phones. Of course, there will be happy customers, but on the contrary, there will be upset customers, but he still works silently because his wife and 2 children in the countryside are waiting for his income.

When a customer calls, Mr. Tu is happy, his hands quickly and skillfully do the job. The profit is not much, but that is all they have to cover their living expenses and take care of their children's education.

One day, Mr. Tu wandered through many streets and corners...

...patiently and happily invite customers to use the service of applying tempered glass to their phones.

Ms. Pham Ngoc Vinh, living in TDP 2, Thach Ha commune, shared: “Hearing the cries of street vendors so often has gradually become a habit. When I was a child, I traded my worn-out shoes for ice cream. When I grew up, there were carts selling boiled corn, salt, and buns at night... Now, there are also convenient household appliances, pre-cut fruits, etc. They bring convenience and reasonable prices, so I often buy to support them.”

Street vendors "carry" a hard life, but also contain much hope and optimism...

As for Mr. Duong Dinh Kim in TDP 12 Tan Giang, Thanh Sen ward, street vendors seem to have become an indispensable part of daily life. “On hot or rainy days, I always see street vendors working hard to make a living. They are also retailers who distribute goods to every corner and alley. And street vendors are somehow familiar, with a simple beauty, like patches of color that contribute to the diversity of street life”…

Although precarious, it is still the only source of income to support the whole family.

Every step, every cry, every bicycle turn… contains love for family, contains hope, perseverance, simple dreams about food, clothing and money.

No one wants to spend the whole day in the rain and sun if there is a better choice, but for them, earning money by honest labor is a precious thing. They are not just sellers, they are a part of the memories of the streets – the cries of childhood, the silent figures in everyday life…