Celebrating Tết with residents

Saturday 10 February marks the Lunar New Year a festive period for many southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, where the holiday is known as Tết. Here at ISHA, we have a special connection to the Vietnamese community in London through Lien Viet.

The Lien Viet Housing Company, now a subsidiary of ISHA, was set up in 1988 to specifically address the housing needs of refugees from Vietnam and Southeast Asia in general, its mission was to provide a "safe haven" in the form of affordable, culturally sensitive housing.

To honor that commitment ISHA will be hosting some residents to celebrate Tết together, with traditional food, performances and games.

We recently caught up with some residents who joined ISHA through Lien Viet, to hear their stories.

Ms Man Dang has been a Lien Viet resident since 2005, having been forced to leave a council property.

She had been living in temporary accommodation and was offered a permanent tenancy in an unsuitable flat. When she declined, she was told to rent privately but received no help to do so. A friend introduced her to Lien Viet and she was able to collect a key the same day. She and her two children have been with Lien Viet since then. When Man moved in, ISHA didn’t provide carpets and curtains as we do now, and it’s stories like Man’s that continue to shape our mission and drive us to do better. Man’s favourite memories after eighteen years in her home, like many of us, revolve around family. Big meals with the whole family, karaoke nights and card games on Tết.

Mrs Huong Tran fled to the South after Vietnam was partitioned in 1954, where she met and married Mr Rang Kim Tran, an officer in the South Vietnamese army.

They intended to leave Vietnam after the end of the Vietnam War but faced difficulties until the late 80s, when they and their four children relocated to the UK. Arriving in a refugee centre they were soon directed to speak to Lien Viet, and were promptly found a home where they welcomed two more children into their family. Huong was unable to finish her education due to the conflicts in Vietnam, and struggled with language barriers presented when she arrived. She made every effort to learn English, so she wouldn’t have to depend on her children. Now, she says, she’ll go anywhere alone quite happily and she knows when she does encounter difficulties, she can always turn to ISHA to help. Mrs Huong remains close to her family and sees her grandchildren regularly, some of whom have pursued careers as teachers, bankers, and other professions. Huong’s faith is very important to her and with a local Vietnamese church she’s been on pilgrimages in France, Portugal and beyond.

Mr Phi Trinh his family had been living in Vietnam before tensions began to escalate between China and Vietnam in 1979.

Being from a Chinese background himself, Phi’s faced danger and discrimination as the government mistreated Chinese people living in Vietnam. With his family of eight he left in the 1980s, initially settling in Coventry. They were later advised to move to London where there were more employment opportunities and a larger Asian community. Amongst other jobs, Mr Trinh and his wife My, went on to open their own restaurant in Plumstead. They’re retired now but still often cook for family; though Phi says they’re often harder to satisfy than customers. The Trinhs were frequent participants in Lien Viet’s trips to the seaside and Tết celebrations, and he looks forward to their return, eager to meet other residents and staff.