L. had experienced the profound loss of both parents at an early age. After her maternal grandmother’s passing when she was only 11, L. had to navigate life alone. She resorted to performing the utterly dangerous fire-breathing tricks on the streets to sustain herself, finding temporary solace in an abandoned house within a slum area. Caring individuals noticed L.’s growing belly and extended their help in the form of food. A remarkable woman, who earned a meager living collecting and selling scraps, took L under her wing during her pregnancy. However, it was almost all she could do for L.

When our social worker became aware of the situation, L had already given birth and found herself in the hospital, devoid of financial means or insurance. Overwhelmed by the mounting expenses, L contemplated escaping from the hospital to avoid the financial burden. Recognising the urgency of the situation, saigonchildren swiftly mobilised the Anh Chị Em fund to support L, alongside personal contributions from our staff. The half of support covered the expenses of childbirth, with the remaining half to be disbursed gradually over the subsequent three months.