A multitude of migrants of ethnic minorities has found themselves stuck in cramped dorm rooms of Hanoi, with thinning access to food and necessities after the Vietnamese capital city imposes a stringent movement curb mandate in late July.

Stranded by the social distancing fiat, a group of construction workers of Thai ethnicity from northern Dien Bien Province have been staying at a house on 15 Hang Buom Street — a structure which they have been hired to renovate — for over one month.

“Being stuck here makes me feel uneasy as my family is struggling financially,” said Lo Thi Bong, a worker in the group.

“My parents are taking care of my kids so I can work in Hanoi.

"Yet I can neither work nor return to my family in this situation.” 

According to Bong, the group can only have decent meals when charity groups hand out food packages. Otherwise, they have to share packets of instant noodles to survive.

“I only wish the epidemic to be soon over so I can make money to support my parents and children," she said.

"The new school year is approaching, and my two kids are yearning for new clothes.”

Lo Viet Niem, another worker in the group, said all ten members are relatives who came to Hanoi for better job opportunities — only to be faced with another precarious situation. 

“When I first arrived in Hanoi, I had to borrow money for transport and food, thinking I could pay it off with my first monthly pay," Niem expounded.

"However, my job was halted just ten days in, so I have no money on me.”

His only wish at the moment is that the city puts the epidemic under control so that he and his peers could be able to resume work and earn their due salary. 

Cramped living

Many groups of workers can be spotted sharing shabby dorm rooms in Duong Noi Ward of Hanoi’s Ha Dong District.

Most are ethnic minority people from mountainous areas of northern Vietnam, who came to the capital city for work but were not able to leave under the strict movement curb. 

As witnessed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, a 50-square-meter dorm room in the La Duong residential area was accommodating 22 workers, of whom 19 are from Dien Bien Province. 

According to the workers, they were doing construction at a nearby site when the social distancing regulation was introduced, requiring all non-essential construction projects to be shuttered.

Unable to return home, they have spent their past weeks confined in a stuffy space, under the summer heat.

Pham Huu Dang, a part of the group, said he and his friends are stressed out from the severed income, dubious job security, as well as the suffocating heat and lack of ventilation in the room they are staying. 

“We are sleeping on the floor with mats, having barely any personal space," Dang complained.

“The most distressing thing for us is that we no longer have any income to support our families at home.

"We spend our days inside, unsure of when the social distancing ends so we can work again.

“We would appreciate some financial support for us so we can provide for our families back home.”

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