Eyes watering with the letter from a Hanoi student to a friend in the flooded area

TPO - Student Doan Lu Thuy Phuong, class 8A11, Chu Van An Secondary School (Hanoi), wrote an emotional letter, sharing her grief and anguish when witnessing the flood that devastated many families' houses, left books and desks submerged in mud, and prevented her peers from going to school.

Thuy Phuong shared that in recent days, following the news about the provinces struggling with storms No. 10 and No. 11 made her feel heartbroken and tormented when she saw everything being swept away, the roads flooded with mud, and especially her fellow students facing many difficulties and losses caused by natural disasters.

Born and raised in the capital, although also in the storm-affected area, Phuong considers herself lucky to be able to go to school in peace, with books and study materials. Witnessing the hardships and losses of her friends, made her think that she needs to share more with those in need.

Doan Lu Thuy Phuong, class 8A11, Chu Van An Secondary School ( Hanoi ), wrote a letter to students in flood-affected areas.

Along with the gifts for the students in the flood-affected areas, Thuy Phuong wrote the following letter to them:

"Hanoi, October 2025!

To you - resilient students in flood areas.

I write these lines on an early autumn morning in Hanoi, the sky is clear as if it has never known a storm. But my heart cannot be at peace anymore. There are moments that make people just silent, like when seeing the schools in Thai Nguyen submerged in water, teachers and students huddled waiting for rescue in the raging flood of Cau River.

Amidst the chaotic sounds of rescue at the intersection of Hoang Van Thu and Doi Can, there was a sentence that seemed to tear the air apart, touching the bottom of the hearts of the people opposite: "People... please give way... 60 children have been stuck for 3 days...". That was not a staged sentence. That was the cry for help choked in the throat of Ms. Trinh Thi Yen, Vice Principal of Tuc Duyen Secondary School - who had not left her school for three days because there were still students stuck in the second-floor classroom. Three days, no electricity, no signal, no contact with family, hungry stomach, dry tears.

For three days, you - students like me - still read your books in the dim flashlight light, still gave each other relief noodle packages, tried not to cry just to make your friend feel stronger.

I have thought a lot about the word “loss”. Losing books and clothes can be bought again. Losing a house can be rebuilt. But losing the faith to move forward, that is the scariest thing. And what makes me admire you is: in the midst of the storm, your faith was not washed away. I don’t know the names of each of you. But if I meet you, I just want to tell you this: “You are the strongest people I have ever known!”

Natural disasters can make people tired, hurt, and scared. But natural disasters cannot subdue kind hearts, cannot knock down people who know how to hold hands and stand up together. In the flooded areas over the past few days, people have seen the sacred power of human love: boats crossing the raging waters overnight brought instant noodles and warm clothes to every house; compatriots from far away sent notebooks, blankets, and words of encouragement "keep it up" simple but warm as fire.

My friends, the flood will recede. The mud will dry. The roads will reappear. The fields will be green again. The school drum will resound. But after all, I believe that people after natural disasters are no longer the same people as yesterday. You have become more mature, more profound, stronger, and know how to appreciate every meal, every page of a book, every class time that seemed ordinary but turned out to be sacred.

Whether in Hanoi, or any other province..., in the homeland or on a remote island, we are all Vietnamese students. We grew up under this sky, and we all have the same heart that turns to each other when the country is in trouble. And if you need anything, a book, a word of encouragement, or just a friend to listen - we are always here.

I believe that after these stormy days, the rainbow will appear again, shining on every school, every eye and every smile of you. One day, we will tell the story of today together as an unforgettable memory - a memory of perseverance, humanity and faith.

From Hanoi, we would like to send you all our love and admiration. We hope that each small gift sent will not only bring material things, but also the belief and hope that we, Vietnamese students, will always be together, overcoming all challenges. We wish you to soon stabilize your lives, return to school with joy, laughter and the desire to study. One day in the near future, when the sky is clear and the sun is warm, we will meet again, friends who have never met but have always loved each other very much!

Call for support from staff and teachers

On the afternoon of October 10, at Chu Van An Secondary School, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training launched a campaign to support the education and training sector in localities as well as schools in Hanoi that suffered damage from storms No. 10 and No. 11.

Hanoi Department of Education and Training launched a campaign to support the education and training sector in flood-affected localities.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong called on all cadres, teachers, employees and workers in the sector to actively respond to the movement to support and donate to help people in provinces that suffered heavy damage due to floods to partly help overcome the consequences with practical items such as: Food, food, utensils, learning equipment, notebooks, textbooks, clothes, boots, sandals, blankets, mosquito nets, etc.

Donate and support teachers and students of schools affected by natural disasters.

The leaders of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training also said that in recent days, a number of schools in the area have proactively joined hands to share and encourage the localities and schools affected by storms and floods. These are noble gestures, demonstrating the sense of responsibility and sharing of teachers and students of schools in Hanoi towards students and schools in disaster areas, contributing to the whole country to quickly overcome the consequences of floods so that they can continue to go to school. ..

Previously, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son also called on the entire education sector, officials, civil servants, public employees, staff, students, and organizations and individuals inside and outside the sector to join hands, contribute materially and spiritually, with support, encouragement, and connection to share difficulties with people in flood-affected areas in general and with the education sector of provinces and cities in the Northern region in particular.

According to Minister Son, in the general damage caused by this storm and flood, the education sector has suffered a lot of losses. Therefore, support needs to be quickly transferred to localities, in which priority is given to supporting people, first of all teachers and students. These are teachers who have suffered losses, difficulties in living conditions, means of transportation; and students who, without support, will not be able to continue going to school.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/cay-se-khoe-mat-voi-la-thu-cua-hoc-sinh-ha-noi-gui-ban-o-vung-lu-post1785946.tpo