Helping many ethnic minority students realize their dreams.

For the past 26 years, the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, established by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, has shown great love and special care for ethnic minority students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the country. In Lao Cai, this journey of love has left many special marks.

Established in 1999, the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund has become a solid support system for tens of thousands of ethnic minority students and underprivileged but studious students across the country. In Lao Cai province alone, the fund has supported students and schools through three forms: annual scholarships for five consecutive years; long-term scholarships for disadvantaged ethnic minority students from high school to university; and support for facilities and teaching equipment for schools in the area.

Each gift, each scholarship, is not only a form of material support but also an encouragement and a belief in helping the students stay strong on their academic journey.

Speaking at the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Award Ceremony for ethnic minority students in Lao Cai, which took place in mid-October 2025, Ms. Truong My Hoa - former Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, former Vice President of Vietnam, and Chairwoman of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund - emphasized: “Along with mobilizing resources to award 8,000 scholarships annually, the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund has also effectively implemented projects such as: “Nurturing Future Seeds”, “Giving Wings to Dreams”, “Opening the Path to the Future”, “Supporting Students”, and “Lighting Up the Future”, benefiting nearly 1,700 ethnic minority and island students. Through this, it contributes to promoting the development of education , affirming profound humanitarian values, and creating opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds to excel in their studies and lives.”

Among the thousands of students supported by the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, the story of Giang A Xoai in Che Tao commune is a touching testament to the power of love and knowledge.

Orphaned after the 2017 floods, Xoài became withdrawn and timid amidst her loss. Understanding her circumstances, the fund welcomed her into the "Nurturing Future Generations" program, providing full financial support for her education and living expenses at Hong Ha Secondary and High School ( Ho Chi Minh City).

After graduating from university, Xoài returned to her alma mater to work and continue spreading good deeds. With her first month's salary, she donated it entirely to the fund as a way of "giving back the opportunity" she had once received.

"Without the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, I probably wouldn't have been able to come this far. I want to become someone who gives back opportunities in the same way I received them," Xoai said emotionally.

Not only Xoài, but many students in the mountainous areas of Lao Cai have had their dreams realized thanks to the support of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund.

In the 2025-2026 school year alone, the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund supported 107 disadvantaged students in 9 border schools of Lao Cai province, with a total budget of 130 million VND.

Giang Thi Dau, a student in class 8A at Quan Ho Than Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School in Si Ma Cai commune, shared: “My family is classified as a poor household, so being able to go to school is a great happiness for me. Receiving a scholarship from the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund will be a motivation for me to continue striving. This school year, I am determined to achieve the title of excellent student like last year.”

In addition to scholarships, many schools in the province have also received donations of computers, desks, chairs, and televisions for teaching purposes. Thanks to these donations, classrooms in mountainous areas have become more spacious, small dreams are nurtured through the pages of notebooks, and the laughter of students fills the schoolyards once again.

Mr. Le Thanh Long, Principal of Kim Dong Primary School in Yen Bai Ward, emotionally stated: “Kim Dong Primary School was one of the schools most severely affected by the remnants of Typhoon Yagi in 2024. The Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund promptly provided desks, chairs, computers, and scholarships to the students. Thanks to this, just under a week after the disaster, the teachers and students were able to return to class with complete joy.”

Behind those gifts are the hearts of hundreds of compassionate individuals who have been supporting the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund for many years.

Mr. Do Van Trac - Deputy Director of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jay Grand Hotel - who has been closely associated with the fund and ethnic minority students in Lao Cai province for many years, shared: “Every year, we dedicate a portion of our company's profits to contribute to the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and award scholarships to students in Lao Cai province. Seeing the smiles on the children's faces when they receive the scholarships, I understand that every small contribution can change a life.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Ngoc Thieu – Vice President of the Vietnam Veterans Business Association – views partnering with the fund as a long-term social responsibility: “We hope to contribute a small part to make the journey to school easier for disadvantaged ethnic minority students.”

Thanks to this support, the 26-year journey of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund is not only about impressive numbers but also a story of students who have been loved and entrusted with faith. In Lao Cai alone, on average, the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to 100 ethnic minority students each year, totaling hundreds of millions of VND. Along with that, many facilities and teaching equipment have been donated to schools. This is the result of the silent but persistent sharing of hearts beating in unison for one goal: to ensure that no child is left behind on their educational journey.

Mr. Trieu Tien Thinh – Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion of Learning, Chairman of the Lao Cai Provincial Association for the Promotion of Learning, added: “The Lao Cai Provincial Association for the Promotion of Learning will proactively maintain effective working relationships with the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and businesses, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists so that from 2026 onwards, we will strive to provide at least the same level of support each year as in previous years. The Provincial Association for the Promotion of Learning will also continue to mobilize organizations and individuals to allocate resources to award scholarships to ethnic minority students from disadvantaged backgrounds who strive to excel in their studies.”

Amidst the mountains and forests of Lao Cai today, as the school bell rings in the pristine morning, small footsteps continue to pursue their dreams of going to class. The journey of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund quietly continues, nurturing the aspirations of a young generation in this border region, strong and confident, striving for success through knowledge. Seeds of love have been sown and will continue to sprout and flourish in the sun-drenched, windswept land of Lao Cai, where knowledge is the guiding light for the future.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/chap-canh-uoc-mo-cho-nhieu-hoc-sinh-dan-toc-thieu-so-post885812.html