Some of you stole our lives
In January 2021, a H’mong father, Dà, allowed his 16-year-old daughter, Dính, to go to China with an uncle and her cousin to find work in a doll factory. During the journey, they were involved in an altercation with strangers; the uncle assaulted them, resulting in his imprisonment, and leaving the two girls stranded in a foreign country.
Weeks later, Dính and her cousin were separated by men and forced to work as domestic servants for two different Chinese families. Dính’s cousin eventually returned to Vietnam after her household rejected her, but Dính’s whereabouts remained unknown.
At home, Dà had another daughter, Mây, 13, who had dropped out of school in the 3rd grade. The family fears that she too could fall victim to trafficking.
Human trafficking has been a persistent problem in Vietnam for over 15 years. According to the NGO Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, approximately 60% of victims and traffickers in 2021 came from Vietnamese minority communities. In May 2023, Blue Dragon issued an emergency appeal after receiving a surge of distress calls from victims.
* Name changed to protect privacy.
Dính’s mother keeps her image as a memento.
Dính’s father, Dà, gets drunk and lies on the ground to warm up.
“We don’t have any glimpse of hope to find her (Dính) trace. Even though the police were involved, the Chinese took her phone away. Dính was then said to be sold for 300 million VND (US$13200)”. Dà said.
Mây is Dính’s younger sister, lying on the bed in her neighbor's home and watching cartoons. Double exposure.
Mây is wearing Dính’s traditional dress and posing for a picture.
The belongings shared by Mây and Dính
Dính’s mother is sitting at her own bed at home. Low shutter speed.
In front of the schoolyard nearby home, where Dính & Mây and other kids often played together.
The sun sets near the borderline that separates Vietnam and China. Taken from the side of Vietnam in Đồng Văn town, Hà Giang province.
Read full story on the Licas News and the PH Museum