Follow parents to the factory

Every break, Gia Han runs to talk with her mother's colleague at the garment factory - Photo: CONG TRIEU

But children who grow up in poverty seem to be very understanding, quietly studying and playing in a corner.

Have friends to play with

At a garment factory in Binh Chanh district (HCMC), three children giggled and laughed together at the end of the factory. When they were bored playing, they gathered together to read aloud to the sound of the sewing machine running hurriedly nearby. "I come here all the time, I like it much better than at home" - little Ut Linh (4 years old) smiled when asked.

Ms. Kim Tuyen - Ut Linh's mother - can't remember how many times she took her child to the sewing factory, she only remembers the first time when her child was very young.

She also intended to send her child to the factory, but because the child was too young, no one would take him. And after thinking it over, she realized that the salary of a worker was not much, so if she asked to take leave to stay home and look after the child, how would she make ends meet? Sending the child to the factory might cost more than her salary, so she knew it was difficult, but she had to bring her child to the factory, and she got used to it.

"I have to ask the owner first, but they are very easy-going and supportive. The baby has to be well-behaved. If he comes in and makes a fuss and cries, it will affect everyone. I can't stand it either," Tuyen laughed.

There, Ut Linh was the youngest so he was called the youngest. The other two children were Nguyen (6 years old) and Ngoc (5 years old) who were also children of workers there. As the eldest of the group, Nguyen was assigned to take care of the two younger siblings. So he liked to show off, act like the group leader and pay a lot of attention to his two younger siblings.

Then the little boy said, "Every day I have to think about what I will do to make my siblings happy today." After playing together, Nguyen ran to get water and gave it to his two younger siblings: "Drink this, we haven't had anything to drink since this morning." So each of them drank a glass of water and happily looked at each other and smiled.

Better at home

"Mom, I drew this for you. It's really beautiful!" - Gia Han (6 years old) said, squinting her eyes and smiling. Looking at the picture her daughter drew of herself on a piece of cardboard, My Giang (24 years old, from Quang Nam ) felt strangely happy. The laughter of the mother and daughter echoed in a corner of the garment factory in Vinh Loc A commune (Binh Chanh district) where Giang was working as a worker.

After playing for a while, it was time for Han to practice writing because she was about to start first grade. Because it was already dark when she got home after dinner, mother and daughter made a deal that when she got to her mother's workplace, she would practice writing for about an hour and then get a 30-minute break, and mother would lend her phone to play with when she finished writing two pages of paper.

Her study table, which was originally one of the ironing places, had been refurbished by her mother’s colleagues. They spread a new cloth for her and placed it next to the window, the most airy corner of the workshop.

Sitting there looking out the window, little Han saw a large green field. There was a herd of buffaloes grazing there, which became the subject for Han to draw. "I like to come here" - Han smiled.

Half a month before, Han was sent by her mother to Long An to live with her grandmother. But her grandmother was old and there were no friends around the house to play with, so Giang's mother had to pick her up and take her to work.

What Han likes most is that every afternoon she gets to sleep in an air-conditioned room "much cooler than at home". "I like coming here because I get to be close to my mom, and she teaches me how to study. I also get to eat delicious food here, I like chicken rice" - Gia Han smiled.

Then the 6-year-old girl told about her dream of becoming a fashion designer. During every break, Han ran to each sewing table to show off to the teachers that she had completed the homework her mother assigned, sometimes showing off the picture she had just finished. Almost everyone in the sewing workshop knew and loved her.

Ms. Hong Lien - a sewing technician, Gia Han's mother's colleague - said it's true that the sewing factory is not a suitable environment for children to develop, but Han's presence makes everyone happy.

Sometimes when she was too busy, Ms. Lien even "hired" Han to get her a glass of water and paid her with a candy. "She is very gentle and cute. We are both workers and understand each other's situation, so everyone supports and creates favorable conditions for the mother and daughter" - Ms. Lien shared.

Willing to share and support

Ms. Dao My Linh - Sales Director of Dony Garment Company - said that in addition to Gia Han who is often present at the factory, after 5pm every day there are many other children of workers who appear here. Usually after 5pm when the children finish school, their parents will pick them up and take them straight to the factory to continue working overtime.

Having become accustomed to having children in the garment factory, the company's leaders also shared that because they understand the workers' income and understand their circumstances, they also create conditions for parents to bring their children to work together during this time. The company also proactively uses the reception room as a play area for the children.

"Most of the guests are international so this room is rarely used. It is isolated and has air conditioning so it is more comfortable for the children to play in. This does not bother everyone because children will make noise when playing" - Ms. Linh confided.

First time at school

In the last days of summer, some friends have returned to school, some have not, so they still follow their mothers to the workshop. Ms. My Giang boasts that she took advantage of her lunch break to run to the nearby bookstore. This is the first time her child has gone to school, so the young mother is quite clumsy. Partly because she is short on supplies, while having to prepare a lot of books and tools.

"I had to go back and forth three times to buy enough. It was my first time going to school so both of us were excited. Hopefully, being at school with the teacher and friends will be more fun than being at the factory with my mother" - My Giang smiled.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/theo-ba-me-vao-cong-xuong-20240825093958108.htm