Over the past 13 years, Tran Thi Bich, 58, residing in Hai Chau District’s Hoa Cuong Nam Ward, Da Nang, has cared for a total of 7 orphaned and disadvantaged children, and loved them as much as her own biological children.

Mrs Bich and her husband

The kind-hearted woman is often called ‘Mrs Bich Adoption’ by everyone because she has been a close collaborator of the ‘Adoptive Families’ programme launched by the US HOLT International.

HOLT International is a Christian organisation committed to a world where every child has a loving and secure home. It helps strengthen vulnerable families, cares for orphans, and finds adoptive families for kids.

Its ‘Adoptive Families’ programme aims to find eligible families, especially those having the special love for children to adopt underprivileged children, to bring up them within a certain time period.

She telling stories about her adoptees

Thirteen years ago, Mrs Bich visited the Da Nang Centre for Social Work Services at 64 Dong Da Street to learn about the meaningful programme on the recommendation of her friends. She met with many poor children who were in need of help from the community.

After telling stories of the centre’s children to her family members, she received active support from them.

After that, the family of Mrs Bich has adopted their first adoptee, one-month baby girl Le Thi Xuan Tr from Quang Nam Province’s Dien Ban Town.

“The adopted girl’s house is very poor. Her mother has both legs amputated and short arms, so she has to walk with wheelchairs. Meanwhile, her elderly grandparents are too old to work for earning money” Mrs Bich recalled.

The family of Mrs Bich and her adoptees

In addition to disadvantaged children like Tr, the family of Mrs Bich have adopted orphaned, Agent Orange-affected and deaf mute ones.

One of her AO-affected adoptees is Dang Le T. who was born in 1992 in Nam Dinh Province. Her family has cared for him for 3 years.

Sometimes, Mrs Bich has adopted 3 children at the same time. In those days, she and her husband had to care for all 6 children, including 3 their own children. When two of their children were ill at the same time, she had to stay at the hospital to take care of sick ones, whilst her husband stayed at home to care for the remainder.

“Despite facing many difficulties in bringing up adoptees, watching my kids grow up day by day is my greatest gift”, Mrs Bich said proudly.