During the days leading up to Tet, the Lunar New Year, families gather and celebrate together. However, for V.V.D. (born 2000, from Ha Hoa district, Phu Tho province), this Tet is special as he must welcome the new year inside the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center. Along with 132 other inmates, D. enjoys a special Tet meal prepared by himself and the kitchen team.
A Special Tet Meal in Prison
The Tet meal in prison is more than just part of the regular diet; it’s also a morale booster from the management, encouraging inmates to focus on rehabilitation and strive to return to their families and society. With traditional Tet dishes, this meal serves as a reminder of hope and encouragement.
Inmate V.V.D. preparing a special Tet meal with the kitchen team (Photo: Hoang Lam).
After completing his tasks, D. found a quiet corner to reflect. Although hesitant to talk to strangers, he eventually opened up about his mistakes and the deep longing for home during the Tet holiday.
From Worker to Inmate
In 2022, after completing his military service, D. returned home and found work as a factory worker at an electronics parts manufacturing company in Vinh Phuc. This job provided him with a stable income and helped support his family. However, D. was dissatisfied with his life as a wage laborer. He turned to social media, creating anti-fan pages to “expose” famous singers and artists, threatening and extorting money from them.
According to investigations, D. committed three acts of extortion in 2022, totaling over 128 million Vietnamese dong. He was sentenced to more than three years in prison for Extortion. This is his second Tet spent in prison.
Inmates decorating peach branches in the detention center grounds (Photo: Hoang Lam).
Homesickness and Mom’s Meat Jelly
D.’s parents, who are poor, rarely have the opportunity to visit him in Nghe An from Phu Tho. This Tet, they only sent him a small package. D. doesn’t blame his parents, knowing the pain he has caused them. During Tet in prison, D. realizes even more deeply the price he has paid for his mistakes.
“Tet here, the management and officers show care and encouragement, with sticky rice cakes, pickled onions, meat, and fish… but for two years now, I haven’t been able to eat my mom’s meat jelly. Every Tet at home, mom makes a pot of meat jelly. She makes it so well, you know,” D. shares emotionally.
Homesickness drives inmates to work harder toward rehabilitation (Photo: Hoang Lam).
Hope for the Future
As of now, D. has completed more than two-thirds of his sentence. He is working hard to be eligible for early release on April 30th. “After being released, I will find a job and earn money through honest labor, so I don’t have to spend another Tet away from my parents,” D. says, making a promise to himself.
D.’s story serves as a reminder of the value of freedom and family. During Tet, the longing for home and loved ones becomes a driving force for inmates to rehabilitate themselves and早日回到家庭和社会。
