You Are Not Alone: Story of Linh, a social worker

Written by Nguyen Ngoc Tram.

"After graduating from university, I had thought that becoming a social worker also meant becoming a hero. But now, I don't think so anymore."

That was Linh's confession, the program officer for the Center for Women and Development's Peace House initiative, where women and children who suffered from domestic abuse, sexual abuse or human trafficking find help. From a call centre employee, she became a social service worker who provided direct assistance and is now a program officer. From 2021 to 2023, Linh and her colleagues have assisted more than 115 victims of human trafficking through the Tackling Human Trafficking programme, which IOM and the UK Home Office fund.

Linh said everyone faces the risk of being trafficked. At the Peace House, most women and girls have been bought and sold for labour and sexual exploitation. Most clients have challenging life circumstances, like discrimination from their community or domestic abuse, so upon return, they have incurred severe relational trauma. This is why the most challenging part of her job is building trust so the clients accept help while maintaining a professional demeanour to prevent retraumatizing the beneficiaries.

"There are moments where I feel powerless, especially when the client decides not to receive assistance or when they don't follow what I think is the best course of action. When that happens, I doubt my abilities and even ask myself: 'Am I the best fit for this job?'. There are also moments when the workload is too huge, and I am overwhelmed.

In close to four years of working at the Peace House, one of Linh's most memorable experiences was assisting four infants who had been trafficked. The eldest was 15 days old, and the smallest was only seven days old.

"We joked that despite not having had the chance to be mothers, we already know how to care for babies!"

Linh smiled brightly and shared that some of the children at the centre had been reunited with their mothers. CWD continues to provide psychological and financial support so that the mother can believe in herself and continue raising the baby.

"The Peace House is my second home!"-- were the precious words of a child who had returned home, which she keeps close to her heart. Linh suddenly realized: "I don't need to be a hero. I just need to be a solid shoulder to help the beneficiaries get through a rough patch in their life."