HOF043: LE Hoang Chau

Le Hoang Chau left Vietnam at the age of 16, in November 1979, four years after the fall of Saigon. He remembers boarding an overcrowded boat that was barely 12 meters in length. After spending 5 days at sea, the famished refugees were greeted by Indonesians who cared for them until they boarded a Norwegian ship that brought them to the Galang Refugee camp on Galang Island, one of several islands south of Singapore. He stayed for 4 more months in the camp. He eventually met with Canadian Immigration officials who arranged his private sponsorship in Montreal, Quebec. He arrived at the Longue Pointe military base, in the vicinity of Montreal in April 1980. He stayed there for four days then went to live with his sponsors. He pursued his education, found employment and gained his independence. Today, he is the proud father of 3 children.