An orphanage in HCM City, which is supposed to take care of orphans and disadvantaged children free of charge, has been collecting money from the parents of the children.

Hoa Mau Don Orphanage, owned by Pham Thi Tuat or “Mother Don”, has dusty tables and chairs. The centre has been scheduled upgrades for three months, but the works are still incomplete as the centre is calling on further donations.

According to “Mother Don, the centre takes care of 70 orphans and children whose families are in difficult situation.

Initially, “Mother Don” said children would be taken care of free of charge, but later their families were asked to pay monthly charges.

“This is the money to show their responsibility for their children,” the mother said.

The reporters once met Mrs. Vy from Dak Lak Province, whose child named Thien Thanh was sent to the centre. Vy said that due to the family's difficult conditions, she had to send her child to the centre until their situation got better. However, later, Vy was asked to sign in a document giving her child to the centre as she could not pay the VND1.2 million per month fee charged by Mrs. Don.

Phan Thi Yen Loan from Lam Dong Province also had to temporarily send her two sons, one 10 years old and one three years old, to the centre. Mrs. Don asked Loan to write a paper to leave their children at the centre and they will be taken care of free of charge. When Loan’s condition was better, she could return to the centre for taking them. Nonetheless, over the past year, Loan has had to pay VND500,000 for the centre.

Many other people, including Le Van An from HCM City and Sung Thi Ca from Dak Lak, are also in the same situation, as well as countless other parents.

It took Nguyen Hong Dat in Kieng Giang Province two months to get his eight-month child back.  He had to seek help from the local  authorities. He showed reporters a number scars on his son’s head and feet, which he apparently obtained at the orphanage.

He also disclosed that whenever he visited the centre, Mrs. Don was extremely rude to him and his wife. Don did not allow them to take him home, saying that they were unable to take care of him. Mrs. Don said that if they wanted their child they would have to pay VND15.5 million.

As a result of mediation by local authorities, Don allowed the couple to reduce the monthly payment to VND1.2 million from the previous VND2.5 million.

It takes Nguyen Hong Dat two months to get his child back

To attract more financial support for her centre, Mrs. Don writes in letters to donors that she is very poor and has been working as a scrap metal dealer to earn money to support these disadvantaged children.

However, the centre, which was set up in 1998, now has two branches, one five-floor building and the other newly-built one with four floors in Tan Binh District. Don has been calling for donations for the second establishment. However, according to reporters, Don has offered the fourth floor of the building for sale, through her nephew, at the price of VND7 billion.

Mrs. Don has also been linked to houses in District 8 which have been offered for sale through the her nephew.

She also has another big house in District 12 under name of her daughter-in-law.