With a commitment to community engagement and responsibility, the Ho Chi Minh City Police have undertaken numerous meaningful initiatives. Beyond ensuring security and order at events, the police force actively supports women who have fallen from grace and are seeking reform, providing them with opportunities to reintegrate into society effectively.
The story of resident Tu Dau of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 10 exemplifies the effectiveness of the program ‘Giving livelihoods to women who have reintegrated into the community, women in especially difficult circumstances’ - a commendable initiative by the Ho Chi Minh City Police Women's Association.
Over two years ago, Ms. Tu Dau's life took a significant turn when she received a beverage cart through the program. This support provided a much-needed fresh start for her challenging circumstances.
Previously struggling with an unstable job and frequent illness, Ms. Tu Dau can now independently support herself and her family thanks to this assistance. She is too eager, saying that after she got the water cart, her life has been better.
The program's impact extends beyond financial aid. The association also offers profound concern, empathy, and genuine understanding to individuals in unique situations, like Ms. Vu Phan Ngoc Mai, who owns a vermicelli shop in Phu Nhuan market. The vermicelli cart and initial capital provided by the association helped Ms. Mai- a woman with a checkered past - who was grappling with many insecurities, gradually stabilize her life. This assistance enabled her to overcome her inferiority complex and become a valuable contributor to her family and society. Her remarkable positive changes have brought immense joy and pride to her parents.
Elsewhere in the southern largest city, with unwavering determination and crucial support from the association, resident Lam Thi Tuyet Hong of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 6 rebuilt her life after months of hardship. Having served a prison sentence for drug trafficking, Ms. Hong returned to face daunting challenges: no home, no savings, no job, and the burden of caring for her ill husband in a cramped rented room.
Hope seemed distant, but a turning point came when the association provided her with a noodle cart and VND2 million (US$76) in startup capital. This meaningful support gave Ms. Hong not only a stable livelihood but also a renewed sense of hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.
With this opportunity, she earned enough to cover living expenses and afford medicine for her husband. Remarkably, the stability—both financial and emotional—helped her husband regain his health, grow optimistic, and even assist her in their small business. Ms. Hong’s journey is a powerful testament to how timely, practical support can transform lives, empowering those who have stumbled to reintegrate into society and build a brighter future.
The impactful initiatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Police not only help alleviate the challenges faced by the underprivileged but also promote a profound humanitarian spirit, fostering solidarity and compassion within the community, and contributing to the development of a more better society.
Chairwoman Tran Thanh Ha of the Fatherland Front Committee of District 8 noted that the support activities organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Police Women's Association for women in difficult circumstances and those who have made past mistakes have significantly helped stabilize their lives. After just one year of implementation, many women have shown marked improvement—reducing the risk of recidivism, achieving greater life stability, and actively participating in efforts to maintain local security and order.
Major General Tran Duc Tai, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Police, emphasized that community reintegration is a humane and compassionate policy of the Party and State. It plays a vital role in crime prevention and maintaining social order and safety. He stressed the importance of gradually eliminating stigma and discrimination while fostering social consensus. It is crucial to encourage the involvement of agencies, organizations, businesses, and the broader community in the education and support of women who have made a mistake, but deserves a chance to redeem themself.
This initiative not only empowers those who have completed their sentences to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society, but also strengthens families and contributes positively to the community. Major General Tran Duc Tai expressed hope that relevant units will continue to assist these women while also building and replicating effective models and exemplary cases of successful reintegration.
