poverty stories — Saigoneer

Environment

As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding

In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.

Environment

As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding

Saigon

Saigon Announces Plan to Give Poor Residents Smartphones to Aid Digitization

As more municipal administrative procedures migrate online, underprivileged citizens without smart devices are often left behind.

Asia

Pandemic Pushes 80m People in Asia Into Extreme Poverty, ADB Data Shows

The global pandemic has undone decades of economic improvement in some nations.

Architecture

[Photos] Inside a New School for Lao Cai Children, Built by Hanoi Architects

While some students in Saigon bemoan slow internet that hampers their distance education at home, there are communities in Vietnam’s remote areas whose only school can barely withstand the elements.

Film & TV

[Video] A Day in the Life of an Ordinary Schoolgirl in Saigon

What might life be like for a public school student in Saigon who hails from a less well-off family?

Society

An Evening With the Grass-Roots Volunteer Group Helping Saigon's Homeless

The group meets at the Saigon Central Post Office in District 1 at 10:30pm. Although it is late in the evening, there are still tourists loitering around the building, one of the city's primary attractions.

Society

Many Homes in Vietnam Lack Toilets. But Thanks to Women, That's Changing.

At daybreak, when crickets croon and Tan Xuan Commune is still awash in darkness, Chung is already awake. “We will support you in getting access to funding,” she chants several times in front of a mirror while holding a brochure. Once the sun is up, she heads out to start a typical workday of trying to convince her neighbors to construct proper toilets in their homes.

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Society

[Photos] Inside Binh Thanh's Xóm Nước Đen by the Cau Bong Canal

In recent years, development in Saigon has exploded, giving rise to towering skyscrapers, office towers and residential complexes throughout the southern hub. But even as the city’s modernization hits hyper speed, small, canal-side communities across town continue to exist in precarious circumstances, as city officials aim to relocate approximately 20,000 such households along various canals throughout the city. Here is a glimpse into the lives of residents in Binh Thanh’s xóm nước đen near Bui Huu Nghia Street.

Ngo QuanDec 19, 2017