Struggling to make a living on Cai Con River
The Cai Con River section (Nga Bay Ward, Can Tho City) has become a regular anchor for boats carrying firewood from Ca Mau to sell to coal kilns in Phu Tan and neighboring areas. This is not a traditional floating market, but a place where many freelance workers earn a living.
According to boat owners, each shipment from Ca Mau carries 50 - 150 tons of firewood. Wood boats cost about 300 million VND, iron boats nearly 1 billion VND. Firewood prices range from 2,000 - 2,500 VND/kg. After deducting fuel costs, hiring workers and living expenses, the boat owner only earned a few million VND per trip. A month usually only has 2 - 3 trips. Income is unstable, dependent entirely on weather, water and purchasing power.
Having been in the profession for nearly 10 years, Ms. Truong Thi Phuong (55 years old, Tan Phuoc Hung commune) said that this profession is about 9 months/year, and during the months when the firewood is gone, she has to run a boat carrying rice for hire.
"We live on a boat, like a house. With a new boat, you can chew, without a boat, there is no suitable job. The most valuable asset of the boat owner is the boat, my family has 3-4 people following the profession, passing through generations," said Ms. Phuong.
Risks, hardships and children's lives
Mr. Binh (27 years old, Nga Bay ward) shared that each trip to buy firewood and a boat carries 80 tons, the person with the larger boat carries 150 tons, the journey takes 17 - 23 hours.
"The boat moves quickly, the heavy boat moves slowly. stormy days, big waves, have to stay up all night. Although he doesn't have much knowledge, he is used to living on the river so he still sticks to his job," said Mr. Binh.
Having a boat containing 70 tons, having been in the profession for more than 10 years, Ms. Yen Oanh (29 years old, Nga Bay ward) said that the job is hard but helps her raise her two children. A 3-year-old girl took a boat, the older son went to shore to study. She added that children living on boats are susceptible to illness when encountering wind and rain, but there is no option to send them near the anchorage.
Living on a boat is simple: mini gas stove, water bottle, temporary toilet. Children play on the floor, used to the waves. In addition to weather risks, boat owners are worried about the lack of fixed anchorages, affecting safety when anchoring for a long time.
Cai Con Floating Wood Market maintains the lives of dozens of freelance workers, but faces many difficulties: low income, poor living conditions, children with limited access to education, high risk of accidents.
