Kon Tum (AsiaNews) - Standards of living are improving for the Vietnamese, but many people still live in hardship in the rural areas and in the mountains, especially the ethnic groups, and above all their children. They, too, are citizens of this country, and the government should guarantee for them as well the rights that all other Vietnamese enjoy. But that's not the way it is.

The Sơđăng ethnic group was happily living in the forests of the diocese of Kon Tum, until they were removed by the local authorities in order to make them easier to monitor. Later, in 1994, the Vinh Son Warm Shelter was created to help 60 orphaned minors.

The condition of the children varies. Their communities are truly poor, but the Catholics and others give them aid. The boys and girls receive assistance for high school. A young volunteer, Y. L., explains to AsiaNews that "the help centers for orphans have more disadvantages than advantages, the people are truly poor, and their level of education is low. Social assistance for children is especially lacking. There are volunteer groups and individual volunteers who have come to help, but they do not have projects for long-term development. The local authorities have so far done nothing to help the shelters".

"One of the greatest difficulties", confirms Tran, a Catholic volunteer, "is to reach an agreement with the local government. They haven't even given us permission to operate, and the shelter has not yet been recognized. The children lack education, nutrition, and health care. I hope that the authorities will grant permission for the shelter, and for social policies in favor of the ethnic groups of Kon Tum".