Thuc , 70 — Hoi An, Vietnam
Thức is planting pepper plant seedlings in the late afternoon sun.
“I have been living in Hoi An and doing farming since 1975. The government gave us this land after the war. I live near here.”
“Being a farmer is really difficult. Our crops always depend on the weather. Now most of the young generations don’t work on the farms anymore. They go to school and then they find better jobs.”
“Now I am working here just to keep the land clean. My children are all grown up. I don’t work much anymore. I just work here to prevent the land from the weeds.”
“I have 3 girls and 1 boy. My youngest son doesn’t want me to work. However, he respects me and lets me work on this land because I want to keep the land. And he tells me that when I am tired or want to stop doing the work, I can sell the land.”
“He went to school, graduated and he is now working for a car company. His mom (my wife) passed away when he was 5 years old because of a stroke, I had to work hard, raise him on my own and send him to school. Before that, my back wasn’t bent like this. Now, all of my children are very good to me. They always take care of me” he says with a big smile.
Thức, 70 years old
Hoi An, Vietnam
