Due to their difficult lives, hundreds of kids are working along Thuan An beach, Thua Thien Hue Province, to earn a living.

Working as vendors

Along the three-kilometre long Thuan An Beach in Phu Vang District, over 100 children are earning money by selling sweets and snack food or collecting discarded bottles.

Most of them are primary or junior secondary school pupils, who work to share life burden with their parents and to earn some money to buy new books for their coming school year.

Each of them has their own wishes but they find it difficult to realise their dreams.

Tran Thanh Trung, a 3rd grade student, shared, “I was born in a poor family. My parents don’t earn much even though they have to work very hard. I’ve come here to earn some money for three summers. I can earn around VND20,000 (USD0.96) a day.”

With little chance of getting an education, Trang, 10, said, “I have several brothers and sisters. My family is so poor that my parents can’t afford for me to study. I started working to earn some money when I was a little girl. I hope someday I can go to school.”

Taking a break by sitting on sand for a while, Nguyen Duy Hai said, “I wish someday I have a chance to go to a big city to have some fun. I save a little every day for this. I want to become a teacher who can educate disadvantaged children in my hometown.”

Selling snack food

A happy smile

A 12-year-old vendor

Collecting scraps of bottles

A simple break

Looking for a better future

Sharing dreams

A hard dream to realise