Successful 'rescue' of 7-member H'Mong family on motorbike journey

The video, which started circulating on social media on February 28, showed a man, his wife, and their five children navigating towards the Vietnam-China border gate of Tan Thanh in Lang Son Province from Dien Bien Province.

The family's precarious journey, undertaken in 10-degree Celsius weather over hundreds of kilometers, stirred compassion in Toan, a 42-year-old resident of Huu Lung, Lang Son.

Despite initial difficulties in contacting the family, Toan's determination led him to post an appeal online for any information on their whereabouts.

Social networks features a photo capturing a H'Mong man, his wife, and their five children on a single motorbike journeying through northern Lang Son Province, Feb. 28, 2024. Photo by Vuong Xuan Le

Identifying the family's location in Cao Bang after a day of inquiries, Toan learned they had unsuccessfully sought work at the Tan Thanh border gate. On Feb. 29 he, along with volunteers, embarked on a 250 km journey to the province's Trung Khanh District, aiming to offer food and shelter to the family, emphasizing the risk of their current travel conditions.

"We needed to set out right away given the distance was over 250 km. The concern was that we might lose sight of the family should they decide to move elsewhere,"Toan explained. "Our main objective was to ensure they had access to food and shelter. Traveling with seven people on one motorbike poses a significant risk, so it was crucial for us to prevent them from continuing their journey like this."

Prior to setting off for Trung Khanh, Toan made contact with the Hope Center in Huu Lung, Lang Son, a facility dedicated to providing care for orphans and children facing severe hardship, to brief them on the situation. Fortuitously, he secured a promise from the center to extend their support.

After journeying for over five hours, early on March 1, Toan and his team located the H'Mong family taking a break at a motel in Tra Linh, Trung Khanh.

The family's patriarch, Sung Po Tua, is aged 39, while his spouse, Pham Thi Senh, is 30. They are parents to five children, whose ages range from 3 to 10 years. Originally, they lived in Suoi Voi Village, Dien Bien's Muong Nhe District.

At the end of February, the family set off on their lengthy journey by motorbike, heading towards the Tan Thanh border gate via the Thanh Tri Bridge in Hanoi. Their travels took them to Cao Bang after unsuccessful attempts to find work in Lang Son.

Upon learning of Toan's intention to take them to the Hope Center in Lang Son for assistance, Sung Po Tua was initially resistant to accepting help from someone he didn't know, expressing his trust solely in the commune police chief from his hometown in Dien Bien.

Aware of Toan's volunteer group's intention to help Tua's family with educational opportunities for the children and employment for the couple, the commune police chief Ca Van Phuong managed to convince the family to place their trust in the group.

On the morning of March 1, the entire family, their possessions, and their motorbikes were carefully loaded into Toan's vehicle for the return journey to Lang Son.

Throughout their trip, the group was overwhelmed with support, receiving ongoing calls from kind-hearted donors who provided clothing, food, and even financial assistance to the family.

Pham Ngoc Toan (in the bottom right corner) and members of the volunteer charity group accompany Tua's family to the Hope Center in Huu Lung Commune, Lang Son, arriving on the afternoon of March 1, 2024. Photo courtesy of Toan

Upon their arrival at the Hope Center in Huu Lung commune on March 1, Tua and his family were provided with a private room equipped with all necessary amenities.

Nguyen Trung Chat, the Director of the Hope Center in Lang Son, confirmed that all required documentation for the family's support had been finalized. He outlined that the center would address the family's immediate needs, including food, housing, and education for the children.

Chat plans to assist Tua in obtaining birth certificates for his five children to enable their enrollment in local schools. Additionally, the center aims to collaborate with various charity organizations to secure employment for the parents and assist in debt repayment.

Chat highlighted a significant hurdle: Tua's wife and children's lack of Vietnamese language skills. He emphasized the need for language instruction from the basics and mentioned that efforts were underway to integrate the family fully into the community.

Toan and the volunteer group members felt a deep sense of fulfillment following the successful mission.

Tua repeatedly voiced his appreciation for the assistance his family had received. With the provision of food and shelter secured for his family, the 39-year-old expressed his determination to concentrate on securing employment, aiming to settle his debts.