Ngan's Story
Ngan's life took a distressing turn when she agreed to an arranged marriage at her mother's insistence. Her husband displayed signs of psychosis, and from the onset of their marriage, she endured unrelenting abuse from him. When their first child arrived, her husband's violence escalated. He would berate and physically harm her each time their child fell ill or when anything went wrong. His frequent intoxication led to random, senseless beatings, even if Ngan didn't adhere to his rants. Their family meals turned into a horror show, as her husband would abruptly lash out, striking her and sending their food crashing to the floor.
Ngan endured this torment for years, believing her husband's mental illness was to blame, and she suffered in silence, never seeking help. She thought, "I must endure until I can bear it no more."
Despite being aware of the abuse, Ngan's mother and sister-in-law offered no sympathy. They even accused her of inciting her husband's idle and outrageous conduct, suggesting that he also assaulted his father when trying to intervene. Ngan's mother could only encourage her to endure for the children's sake.
With no one to turn to, Ngan reached her breaking point and made the difficult decision to leave her home, taking her three children with her. One rainy night, they fled to a different area.
Starting anew presented enormous challenges for Ngan, especially as she carried the weight of caring for her three young children. After two years of independent living, striving to support her family, she found herself drained and disheartened, struggling to make ends meet. This was when her daughter reached out to Hagar for assistance.
Building trust with her case manager over time, Ngan began to feel more at ease and accepted support from Hagar. With their legal aid, her divorce from her abusive husband proceeded smoothly, and she was granted custody of her children as she had hoped. After enduring nine years of violence, Ngan was finally liberated and can now live in peace.
"In my darkest hours, Hagar was there for me. I feel blessed that, during this Tet holiday, my children could enjoy some treats thanks to the support Hagar has provided us," Ngan expressed her gratitude for Hagar's effective aid. Currently, Hagar is helping Ngan's family secure safe housing and covering her two school-age children's tuition fees for the previous school year. Ngan is now more self-assured on her journey as a single parent and is determined to establish a small business in the community, striving for a more stable future.
