Giáp Thị Sông Hương and babies that she is currently raising. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

HCM CITY —  A woman in HCM City has adopted hundreds of children abandoned by their parents and raised them over the past 30 years.

Giáp Thị Sông Hương adopted her first child three decades ago not long after moving to HCM City.

Then aged 18, she left her hometown in the northern province of Bắc Giang to work in HCM City as a scrap collector.

While collecting scrap at a garbage dump, she found a baby girl suffering from a severe shortage of breath.

Knowing that it would be difficult for Hương to raise the child on her own, her family opposed her decision to take the baby.

But despite the objections, Hương cared for the child and even increased her workload to cover the additional expenses.

A year later, a student living near Hương got pregnant, and after giving birth, left the baby at the hospital, without paying her medical bills.

Hương sold some of her own jewellery, and asked people in her neighbourhood for money to cover the costs.

Now those two babies that Hương raised have grown up and moved overseas.

From a scrap collector, Hương worked hard to earn money to open a street-side food stall and then restaurant, hotel and a real estate company to be able to afford raising all the children.

Over the years, some of the children she raised have grown up and now help her to be able to continue giving a home to unwanted babies.

Giáp Thị Sông Hương feeds the babies. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

“I do not know who their parents are," she told Vietnamnet.

"I would receive phone calls telling me to collect the babies at an electricity pole. When I arrived, there was only a child lying on the floor.”

The pandemic has also caused her more difficulties, and even though Hương sold some of her companies, financial pressures still mounted. Each month she spends more than VNĐ100 million on food and necessary items for the babies.

“For the past few months, relatives and friends found out I was experiencing a difficult time, so they offered support,” she said.

"But if this situation lasts for a long time, maybe I can't take it anymore. I will try my best. If I am exhausted and can not afford to help the children, I will have to return them to Government’s organisations." 

Many infertile couples came and ask for adoption but she refused.

"I am worried that if I let my children go, when their parents come back to look for them, I will not know what to say," Hương said. —  VNS