On the day of return, the only wish of many prisoners is to be welcomed by society with open arms. To light up the dream of reformation, they need to share so that they have a chance to atone for their mistakes and start their lives over.
Checking, examining and providing health consultation for female prisoners in the program "Lighting up the dream of rehabilitation" - Photo: V.TUAN
Receiving a notice to go to the auditorium of Quyet Tien prison (Tuyen Quang province) to attend the program "Lighting up the dream of reformation", female prisoner Trieu Thi Phuong (the names of the prisoners and their families in this article have been changed) was told by the prison officer to "prepare everything". In this prison, whenever someone is told to "prepare everything", something good is about to happen.
Prisoner TRIEU THI PHUONG (name changed)
Mother's tearful letter
Phuong used powder to cover up the dark circles under her eyes. She used to be the most beautiful mountain girl in a poor village in Van Ho (Son La). When she was still in school, the steep road in front of her house was so steep that the grass almost stopped growing because young men came to chat until late at night.
The family of five relied on a few plots of land, not enough rice to eat, not enough cassava to feed pigs. Phuong had two younger siblings who were growing up. As the eldest, she had to shoulder the responsibility of helping her parents raise her younger siblings. Leaving school to work, Phuong did not know when she had stumbled. Involved in a drug ring, Phuong was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
Upon receiving the news that her son had been arrested, the mother collapsed in the middle of the empty house. The father held back tears and sold a pair of pigs to have enough money to go to the province to visit his son. It has been four years since he has visited her. Phuong's mother, Mrs. Xuyen, holds the phone in front of the door every day, waiting for a call from the prison.
The poor family became even more desolate after their daughter left. Their biggest asset was a pair of cows, which Mrs. Xuyen said she planned to sell to get money to visit her daughter. The skinny father in the kitchen sighed and looked up at the soot-filled roof: "If we sell them, where will she (Phuong) get money to do business when she comes back?" Mrs. Xuyen could only cry after hearing that.
Phuong lived a regular life in the camp, learned a trade, and had sisters to share with, but she never stopped missing home. She was determined to learn a trade, hoping to soon return to that house on the back of a windy hill to help and make up for her parents' sad days.
Coming to the hall with more than 200 other prisoners to attend the program "Lighting up the dream of rehabilitation", Phuong represented prisoners with good rehabilitation records to interact. Seeing her parents by the fire in the middle of the house, a meal of only white rice and stir-fried vegetables on the big screen, she burst into tears when she heard each sentence her parents said to keep the cows waiting for her to come back to have capital.
The organizers gave Phuong a handwritten letter that she assumed was from the village chief and had been asked by her parents to write. They encouraged her to reform well and boasted that their family had just received a cow that was five months pregnant, so when Phuong returned, including the two cows they were raising, there would be several cows. The cow was a gift from the Vietnam Youth Union to the family of a prisoner in difficult circumstances who had reformed well and was about to finish serving his sentence and return to normal life.
The prisoner's tears fell down, sobbing as she said thank you. Trembling as she received the portrait of her parents, Phuong hugged the photo to her chest and choked up, saying she would bring it back to her cell to ease her homesickness. The atmosphere in the hall was filled with tears of sharing at that moment.
Light up the hope of reform
Prisoner Ly Thi Hong, from Hanoi, said she has 15 years left to serve her sentence. She used to be a teacher but spent her entire youth atoning for her sins with an 18-year prison sentence for fraud and property appropriation. When she first started serving her sentence, she was negative and sad, but life in prison gradually helped her become more positive.
As one of the sisters who have done well in reform, Hong reads books, works, learns a trade and thinks that the day of return is still far away but is still full of hope. "At first, I was very depressed, most afraid that my two young children would know what crime I committed, then their friends would know, would they feel inferior when I am like this...", Hong forced a smile but two streams of tears were about to well up in the corners of her eyes.
Hong boasted that she had read all the thousands of books in the library, many of them two or three times. Besides working, Hong's greatest joy is making friends with books. Having read all the books on skills and literature, she hopes to have more books on vocational training, business, farming, and animal husbandry.
Every time the holidays of April 30 or September 2 approached, the whole room anxiously waited for news from the loudspeaker in the corner of the camp. When a cell’s name was called, everyone rushed to hug and congratulate each other, some cried and continued to wait. So every time we went to a party, the sisters often asked for extra candy to bring home and wait for someone to be pardoned to share the joy. Those were sleepless nights!
One person leaves and another comes in. Life goes on and on, but everyone hopes to return home soon.
Rebuild life
The Vietnam Youth Union said the program "Lighting up the dream of rehabilitation" aims to educate and reform young prisoners through legal advice, psychology, life skills, health care and vocational training.
Over the past five years, the program has given nearly 1,200 gifts (VND600 million), provided free medical examinations to more than 2,200 prisoners, and provided psychological counseling and employment to more than 13,000 people after their sentences were completed. Many prisoners have been able to learn a trade, borrow money, stabilize their lives, and make positive contributions to the community, helping to eliminate social evils.
Make friends with the library
Quyet Tien Prison (Department C10, Ministry of Public Security) is one of the few prisons with a library, donated by members of the Youth Union and youth of Tuoi Tre newspaper. With about 1,000 books, the library hopes to help prisoners calm down, become good people, and broaden their knowledge, creating a foundation for reintegration upon their return.
Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Tuan, deputy warden of Quyet Tien prison, said that to help prisoners reform and reintegrate into the community after serving their sentences, the prison organizes labor and career guidance. The prison has cooperated with local companies and businesses to create labor opportunities and vocational training for prisoners, also preparing them for life after their prison terms.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thap-sang-uoc-mo-hoan-luong-trao-hy-vong-cho-pham-nhan-tim-ve-con-duong-sang-20250316234126043.htm
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