Three small sisters who grew up in the southern province of Tien Giang are facing a hard life after their father was sentenced to prison and their mother left home.

The three sisters and their grandfather

The eldest child, Tong Thi Hong Gam, 16, has good grades at school. She dreams of becoming an art teacher. However, her dream may never come true because she is now suffering from a serious brain disease and a skull turmour.

Her two younger sisters Tong Thi Ngoc Huyen, a 7th grade student, and Tong Thi Ngoc Anh, a 3rd grade student, may also have to quit school due to the family’s difficult situation. The sisters now live with their grandfather, who is poor and sick.

The 71-year old grandfather, Tong Van Loc, said one day his son, Tong Van Binh, was mistaken for another by a man and the man tried to beat him.

"In self-defense, Binh took out a knife and stabbed the man, who later died. As a result, he was sentenced to seven years in prison," Loc said.

Gam is now suffering from a serious brain disease and a skull turmour

Due bad health, Gam has been home-bound for some time. Each day she has to take medicine and hopes for recovery so that she can return to school.

Since the mother left home, Gam’s condition has worsened to the point where she is facing death risk without urgently needed surgery.

The grandfather, who is also sick, still tries his best to take care of his granddaughters. He hopes to have VND20 million (nearly USD1,000) to take Gam to a hospital for the surgery.

Nguyen Van Nhanh, Chairman of Luong Hoa Lac Commune People’s Committee, said over the past years local people have donated money to support the small girls. However, the donations were too modest to provide for their needs. They are in desperate of community help.

In order to help the girls, any donation should be sent through:

1. Code 1256: Tong Van Loc, No. 15, Luong Phu C Village, Luong Hoa Lac Commune, Cho Gao District, Tien Giang Province
Mobile: 0982.000.958 (Mrs. Thuy)

2. Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund – Dan tri Newspaper (Hanoi)
No. 2/48 Giang Vo Str., Dong Da Dist., Hanoi
Tel: 04. 3. 7366.491/ Fax: 04. 3. 7366.490
Email:quynhanai@dantri.com.vn
 
* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietcombank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 045 100 194 4487
With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM  – Thanh Cong Branch
 
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Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 045 137 195 6482
SWIFT Code: BFTVVNVX
With Bank:  THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM
 
* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietinbank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 10 201 0000 220 639
With Bank: Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade – Hoan Kiem Branch
 
* US Dollar Account information at MB Bank:
Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri
Account number: 0721100357002
SWIFT Code: MSCBVNVX
With Bank: MILITARY COMMERCIAL JOINT STOCK BANK - MCSB ( No.3, Lieu Giai str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam)

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