Milk of human kindness saves HCMC migrants from hunger, thirst

By Quynh Tran, Dinh Van October 1, 2021 | 11:00 pm PT

Free food and water, free buses to take them home. Samaritans pulled out all the stops and put on a display of human kindness at the HCMC border Friday.

On the afternoon of Oct. 1, thousands of people were waiting on National Road 1A in HCMC’s Binh Chanh District, yearning to return to their hometown in Mekong Delta. The local authority had to put up barriers to stop people from leaving the city. The previous night, thousands got stuck for hours at checkpoints on National Highway 1, after the city started to remove street barriers and checkpoints to prepare for reopening on Friday, and many Mekong Delta localities announced to relax Covid-19 restrictions.

Thousands of people were stranded on National Road 1A in the city’s Binh Chanh District as they sought to return to their hometowns in the Mekong Delta by motorbike after Covid-19 restrictions were eased there. But they were stopped at the border by city authorities who had put up barriers, not wanting anyone to leave the city unescorted by authorities, worrying about the risk an influx could pose to other localities.
The exodus had begun the previous night after the city started to remove street barriers and checkpoints, and by afternoon the emigrants were still waiting at the city border, exhausted and depressed.

Waiting hours exhausted many people. Residents living along the road joined a helping hand by giving them rice, water, milk, fruits, and raincoats.I have given them many bottles of water. I have never seen such a difficult way to go home like this. The pandemic has made them jobless, facing difficulties, so I want to help, Kha (L) said while giving bottles of water to a couple passing by.

People living along the road began to come out of their homes to give them rice to eat, water, milk, fruits, and raincoats.
Kha (L) said while handing out bottles of water to a couple: "I have given many bottles of water. I have never seen such difficulty in going home. The pandemic has made them jobless, and put them in great difficulty. So I wanted to help".

Huynh brought a basket of food, standing close to the barriers and giving them to others.I told people in my groups to cook hundreds of portions, but the number of the needy is too high, I cannot help them all.

Huynh brought a tub of food, stood by a barrier and began to distribute it.
"I told people in my groups to cook hundreds of portions, but the number of needy is too high, I cannot help them all."

Local police provided migrants with pieces of bread.

Even the police joined in, distributing bread to the hungry people.

Local security forces in Tan Tuc Town of Binh Chanh District took turns to give away meals, bread and milk.

Local militia personnel distributed cooked food, bread and milk.

It started to rain at 2 p.m., Tran Thi Van Chau brought more than 200 raincoats and nd gave them to the travellers. I also prepare fruits for them, and I will cook some food for their dinner if they are still stuck here in the afternoon.

It started to rain at 2 p.m., and Tran Thi Van Chau brought more than 200 raincoats and handed them out.
"I also got fruits for them, and I will make some food for their dinner if they are still stuck here."

Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen is in her 8th month of pregnancy and was taken home by a free bus in Binh Chanh. Nearly 20 buses, coaches and vans have taken pregnant women, women and children, and the disabled, home. All of them must be tested negative with the coronavirus before departure.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, who is eight months pregnant, was taken home by one nearly 20 free buses and vans that took pregnant women, women with children and disabled people. All of them were tested for Covid before leaving.

Wearing protective gear, driver Pham Van Thai guided people to get on the bus and find their seats.I drive people to centralize quarantine facilities in provinces today. I will not stop on the way, and we have prepared food and water for passengers to have, he said, adding his bus was registered with local authorities for charitable works.

Wearing protective gear and guiding people to their seats, driver Pham Van Thai said: "I will drive people to quarantine facilities in their provinces today. I will not stop on the way, and we have food and water on board for passengers." He added he had registered his bus with local authorities for doing charitable work.

To get on the bus, Nguyen Lam Hong Phuong was waiting for nearly ten hours after her husband drove her and their three children to the checkpoint, hoping to come home in Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province.Having the boy born prematurely, Phuong spent the last year in Saigon for her son’s treatment while the husband sold fish to making a living.My son is eight-month old and has never seen his grandparents. The pandemic has taken my income, going back to my hometown is the last choice, said Phuong, 30.

Nguyen Lam Hong Phuong had waited for nearly 10 hours after arriving at the checkpoint with her three children, hoping to come home in Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province.
Their son had been born prematurely, and the couple spent a year in Saigon for his treatment while the husband sold fish to earn money.
Phuong, 30, said: "My son is eight months old and has never seen his grandparents. The pandemic has taken away my income, and going back to my hometown is the only option".

Most migrants were tested with the coronavirus before they are allowed to pass checkpoints. More than 30 medical workers were divided into groups, making the testing process faster.At 6 p.m. on Oct.1, many people were still waiting to pass the checkpoints to go home.Migrants in HCMC tried to leave for their hometowns on Sept.30 night, but the city has not removed checkpoints at its entrances, leading to congestion for hours.Also on Sept. 30, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the city and Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Long An provinces should continue to monitor the flow of people going in and out and not let them travel to other localities unsupervised to prevent Covid-19 spread. Given the high demand, authorities in HCMC and nearby provinces have arranged buses to transport people to their hometowns.

People were tested before being allowed to cross the checkpoint. There were more than 30 medical workers divided into groups to make the testing faster.
At 6 p.m. on Friday, many people were still waiting to go home.
Given the huge demand, authorities in HCMC and nearby provinces have arranged buses to transport people to their hometowns. The city has arranged 113 buses at its gateways to take them home since Friday afternoon.
On Sept. 30 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the city and Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Long An provinces should continue to monitor the flow of people going in and out and not let them travel to other localities unsupervised to prevent Covid-19 spread.