The "Helping Children Go to School - Children Adopted by Border Guard Posts" program, implemented by the Provincial Border Guard Command over the years, has created opportunities for hundreds of poor students in the province's border areas to excel in their studies and training. This contributes to training human resources for local areas, serving the construction and strengthening of the grassroots political system, especially building a "people's defense posture" to firmly protect the nation's borders...
Nurturing "green shoots" in the border region.
Accompanying the officers and soldiers of the Tra Co Border Guard Post, we recently had the opportunity to visit the family of Vi Thi Lan Anh, currently a 9th-grade student at Tra Co Secondary School (Mong Cai City). She is one of four students with particularly difficult circumstances who are being sponsored by the unit under the "Helping Children Go to School - Children Adopted by Border Guard Posts" program.
Through the stories shared by the officers at the Tra Co Border Guard Post, we learned that the girl's family circumstances are very special. Her father passed away when she was only 3 years old. In 2018, her mother also died from a serious illness. Lan Anh and her sister had to move to live with their maternal grandmother in the Nam Tho area, Tra Co ward.
Recalling the early days of sponsoring the two sisters, Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Tuan, Political Officer of the Tra Co Border Guard Post, recounted: "When the teachers at Tra Co Secondary School shared about the family's circumstances and the efforts and hard work of Vi Thi Lan Anh in life and studies, in May 2020, the Post Command agreed to sponsor her regularly until she finishes 12th grade, with a support of 500,000 VND per month. To help the children have a stable place to live, the Post also mobilized resources to support 20 million VND and the labor of its officers and soldiers, coordinating with the Tra Co ward government to repair the house and provide essential items for the family."
Almost three years have passed, and Vi Thi Lan Anh has grown up in the loving care of her "fathers" in military uniforms. Despite her difficult circumstances, she has been diligent, well-behaved, and academically successful over the years. Standing beside her sturdy house, which was built with support, she shared: "After my parents passed away, there were times when my sister and I felt lost and even considered dropping out of school. But thanks to the support of the Border Guard officers, I have now integrated with my friends and feel more confident about the future."
In the mountainous border district of Bình Liêu, there are many similar situations. Accompanying officers from the Hoành Mô Border Guard Post, we visited the family of Trần Tiến Hưng in Pắc Pộc village, Hoành Mô commune. Hưng is currently a 5th-grade student at Hoành Mô Primary School and is one of more than a dozen children regularly sponsored by the Hoành Mô Border Guard Post under the program "Helping Children Go to School - Children Adopted by Border Guard Posts".
Major Bui Van Dong, who was assigned by the unit's command to directly care for Hung, said: Hung's family has four siblings. Hung's parents do not have stable jobs, and their income mainly depends on the government's support policy for poor households, so their lives are extremely difficult. Understanding Hung's family circumstances, in September 2019, the Hoanh Mo Border Guard Post processed the paperwork to adopt him under the "Border Guard Post's Adopted Child" model, with a monthly support of 500,000 VND to cover living and educational expenses.
When we met him, Tran Tien Hung quietly recounted: “My family is very poor, sir. My parents don't earn enough to cover our daily expenses. My four siblings and I lack everything for school. This year, 2019, I was fortunate enough to be taken in by the border guards, and now I have all the necessary school supplies.”
Sitting beside him, Major Dong proudly shared: "Hung used to be shy and very hesitant to interact with strangers. To help him become more confident in communication, the officers and soldiers of the unit regularly welcome him back to the unit to care for him, creating opportunities for him to participate in activities, study, and train him in disciplined living habits, social skills, communication, and martial arts to improve his health. The kindness and closeness of his 'foster fathers' have helped him become increasingly confident in communication and progress in all aspects. Last school year, he rose to become a good student."
The "sweet fruits" from "green sprouts"
Throughout her middle and high school years, Lưu Minh Phương (born in 2003, Hồng Hà Ward, Hạ Long City) was always accompanied by the officers and soldiers of Squadron 2, Border Guard Command of the province. These soldiers in green uniforms became like fathers and older brothers, constantly caring for, helping, and encouraging her to overcome life's difficulties and excel in her studies. After years of hard work and nurturing, this "green shoot" from the province's coastal border region has borne "sweet fruit," as Phương has been directly admitted to the Military Medical Academy, continuing to pursue her life's ambitions and aspirations.
Luu Minh Phuong was born and raised in a disadvantaged family. When Phuong was in primary school, her father left to work far away, and her mother, lacking a stable job, had to support her education and her younger sister, who suffered from a congenital heart condition. Despite her best efforts, her mother couldn't earn enough money to cover Phuong and her sister's schooling and medical expenses. Facing the risk of having to drop out of school to help her mother, luck came her way. At the beginning of her 6th grade year, Phuong was sponsored by officers and soldiers of the 2nd Naval Squadron (Provincial Border Guard) through the "Helping Children Go to School" program, providing her with 500,000 VND per month until the end of 12th grade. From then on, Phuong's path to education opened up.
Lieutenant Nguyen Huyen Tram, an administrative control officer and Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of Squadron 2, who has been closely associated with Phuong throughout her high school years, recalled: “When we started sponsoring her, from the Party Committee and Command to the officers and soldiers of the unit, everyone paid special attention to Phuong, treating her like a daughter or younger sibling of the unit. Therefore, whenever we had work in the area or took advantage of our free time on weekends, we would visit and keep track of her studies.”
In response to the kindness of the Border Guard officers, Phuong consistently strived to achieve the title of excellent student throughout her middle and high school years. In 2022, with the encouragement and guidance of her teachers at Ha Long Specialized High School and the soldiers of Squadron 2, Phuong applied for and was admitted to the Hanoi Military Medical Academy. From there, the door to her future opened wider, giving her the opportunity and conditions to develop herself, live a useful life, and contribute to society; at the same time, repaying the kindness of her teachers and not disappointing the expectations of the Border Guard officers.
Phuong confided: "For me, studying and training in a military school has been my dream throughout my high school years. Ever since I was sponsored by the officers and soldiers of Squadron 2 under the 'Helping Children Go to School' model, I have cherished the dream of wearing the soldier's uniform when I grow up so that I can help those in difficult circumstances like myself. That thought has motivated me to constantly strive in my studies and training, leading to the results I have today."
Witnessing the growth of underprivileged students has motivated the soldiers to continue showing more concern and expanding the program and model in the future. Lieutenant Colonel Pham Hong Tuyen, Political Officer of Squadron 2, shared: Every year, 100% of officers and soldiers voluntarily contribute one day's basic salary to build the "Helping Children Go to School" fund to jointly help underprivileged students have the opportunity to go to school. Thanks to the help and encouragement of Squadron 2, many poor students have overcome difficulties and risen above their circumstances, including one who passed the entrance exam to the Polytechnic University, and another who passed the entrance exam to the Military Medical University…
Expressing gratitude to our compatriots in border areas.
The "Helping Children Go to School - Children Adopted by Border Guard Posts" program has been launched by the Provincial Border Guard Command for many years. The program aims to share the difficulties faced by students in border areas, helping disadvantaged students attend school, contributing to raising the educational level of the people, strengthening solidarity and close ties between border guard officers and soldiers and the local population, and contributing to building a strong national border defense system and protecting national sovereignty and border security.
Colonel Le Xuan Men, Political Commissar of the Provincial Border Guard Command, said: The unit is tasked with managing and protecting two land and sea borders spanning over 300km; managing the area of 82 border communes, wards, and towns in 10 districts, towns, and cities in the province… In carrying out its assigned tasks, the officers and soldiers of the Quang Ninh Border Guard Command have always received the support and affection of the people in the border areas. Amidst countless difficulties and shortages, the people in the border regions have stood shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers in green uniforms to firmly protect the border. However, due to the complex terrain, the separation by rivers, mountains, seas, and islands, along with the limited awareness of some people, the children in border and island areas face many obstacles in attending school. Recognizing this, the Quang Ninh Provincial Border Guard Command has implemented many specific programs and actions to help children of ethnic minorities attend school and improve their education; and to help people develop socio-economic conditions, including the "Helping Children Go to School - Children Adopted by Border Guard Posts" program.
Accordingly, the Provincial Border Guard Command directed border guard posts to proactively coordinate with Party committees, authorities, and mass organizations in border localities to review and select students with particularly difficult circumstances, families of policy beneficiaries, influential individuals, and those actively participating in border protection who are facing hardship, in order to provide sponsorship. After nearly 10 years of implementing the program, the Quang Ninh Border Guard Command has regularly sponsored over 100 disadvantaged students with a total budget of over 3 billion VND. Currently, the Quang Ninh Border Guard Command continues to provide regular sponsorship for 87 children with a support level of 500,000 VND/child/month.
Source
Comment (0)