Abstract
Although everyone should in theory be regarded as equal in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in fact this is not the case. Most families have numerous children, and most do not attend school due to poverty. Based on field research conducted in 2006, the life world of families living on the water is described, and the problem of poverty in the context of equality is discussed. General problems affecting these families and children include lack of birth certificates or registration and insufficient access to medical services. On the other hand, a type of "richness" is found especially in terms of the children's active expression. The question of what psychological supports are available for these people should be the focus of future research.
