Ban was in a situation where she was always struggling to provide for her precious young daughter. With no home, savings or work opportunities available in her Vietnamese community, Ban knew that she would have to find work abroad to have any chance of giving her daughter a good life.
She paid a local agency, who arranged employment posts overseas, for their help to find her something and arrange her flights to get there. Leaving her daughter with her sister, Ban then began her journey to Saudi Arabia.
However, instead of entering the employment post she had paid the agency to organise, Ban was horrified to discover she had actually been trafficked. She entered domestic slavery and acted as a servant for some of the people who had been involved in her trafficking. As well as being exploited for labour, Ban also experienced significant physical violence and suffered a number of physical injuries at the hands of her traffickers.
She tried to escape many times and finally after 7 months of doing everything her traffickers asked of her, Ban managed to escape, connect with the Vietnamese embassy and make her way home. However, even though she had escaped, this experience had left Ban both physically injured and severely traumatised. As a result, even when she got home, she struggled to care for her daughter and fit back into the community. She was hurting and filled with hatred over what had happened to her.
Two years ago, Ban heard about Hagar Vietnam from a reporter. The reporter gave Ban Hagar Vietnam’s hotline number and Ban made the decision to reach out and see if she could get some help.
Listening to Ban’s story, the Hagar team could see how hurt and traumatised she was and began to walk the recovery journey with her. Together with our donors, Hagar was able to give Ban hope that she could be helped and her life could be transformed. Over the next year, Hagar provided Ban with:
- An individualised recovery plan that was specific to her needs
- Counselling to help her process what had happened and the resentment and bitterness that had been impacting her
- Help in getting a medication examination of her physical injuries completed and treatment organised
- Help to replace her lost identity documents
- Support as she tried to repair the bonds with her daughter and family
Because of Hagar donors and staff journeying with Ban, she no longer has nightmares and her Case Manager says Ban’s trauma symptoms have reduced. Ban is now able to be present and take care of her daughter. She shared with staff:
“The time in Saudi Arabia, I was sick without any treatment. With that serious crisis, I was overwhelmed by bitterness. Hagar helps me reduce the pressure of my life … took me for medical treatment, reconnected me with my baby and help make our bond stronger. Now that I stop recalling the time in Saudi Arabia, I can focus on the present..”
As well as being able to help Ban overcome the trauma of her past, Hagar staff were also able to provide Ban and her family emergency support during the COVID pandemic.
Ban’s job selling vegetables at the market was stopped and due to her limited health and the strict social distancing rules imposed in Vietnam, Ban was struggling to find a new job. Understanding that Ban and her family were now in a difficult situation, Hagar provided milk and nutrition supplements to ensure they still had good nutrition.
The fact that Hagar provided this emergency support meant so much to Ban and her family. Ban said to staff upon receiving this support:
“Hagar is always in my heart and accompanying me to overcome difficulties. I could never have come this far and be able to take care of my child without the enthusiastic help from Hagar’s staff. I will always remember and be grateful to Hagar for the rest of my life.”
Hagar pursues the highest degree of care and protection for each of its clients. To protect the identity of our clients, names have been changed and images do not necessarily represent the individual profiled.
Help us transform lives
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By partnering with Hagar, you’re supporting survivors to heal from the trauma of severe abuse. Our work is dependent on charitable giving by people like you.
Help us transform lives
Donate now
By partnering with Hagar, you’re supporting survivors to heal from the trauma of severe abuse. Our work is dependent on charitable giving by people like you.
Help us transform lives
Donate now
By partnering with Hagar, you’re supporting survivors to heal from the trauma of severe abuse. Our work is dependent on charitable giving by people like you.
