New students excitedly arrived early to attend the scholarship awarding ceremony for the "Supporting Students to School" program – Photo: DAU DUNG
132 new students come from 19 provinces and cities: Ha Nam, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, Ha Giang , Hanoi, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Lang Son, Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Vinh Phuc.
Although the scholarship awarding ceremony for the "Supporting Students to School " program didn't officially start until 3 PM, many new students and their relatives had already arrived at the awarding location between 11 AM and 12 PM. By 2 PM, the hall was packed; the students had settled into their seats. Among the 132 new students, some came with their grandparents or parents, while others came alone, as is the case with many students enrolling alone.
It was a joyful day, but there were also many nervous and anxious faces. On those somewhat bewildered faces, joy now shone through as they were about to receive a gift from generous donors, an encouragement for the poor students on their journey ahead.
Guests attending the 2024 "Supporting Students to School" scholarship award ceremony organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper – Photo: NGUYEN KHANH
The four grandmother and grandchildren who traveled from Hai Duong arrived the earliest.
Unable to take time off work, Ms. Pham Thi Hue brought her granddaughter to receive the scholarship – Photo: DAU DUNG
Ms. Pham Thi Hue (61 years old, from Vinh Lap commune, Thanh Ha district, Hai Duong province) woke up at 4 am. Today is a special day for the whole family, as her granddaughter, Doan Quynh Dieu, returned to Ha Nam to receive the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship from Tuoi Tre newspaper. Dieu is a new student at Hai Phong University.
Diệu's grandmother also brought her two younger siblings along because she wanted them to attend the program, feel proud, and see her as a role model to strive for.
The four of them—grandmother and two grandchildren—were among the first to arrive at the handover location.
She recounted that Diệu's family used to live in Bình Phước, but because "her father had a complicated situation, her mother brought her three young children back to live with her grandparents, and they've been there ever since."
Diệu's mother earns a few million dong a month as a factory worker. When they heard that Diệu had been accepted into university, the whole family was a mix of joy and worry. Tuition for a year was 28 million dong, while Diệu's mother only had a few million dong left. Even the used laptop, costing 7 million dong, needed for Diệu's IT studies, had to be bought by her aunt, with the intention of paying later. Therefore, her grandmother said the 15 million dong donated by Tuổi Trẻ newspaper was "a huge amount" for their family.
"On behalf of my child's mother, I would like to express my gratitude to Tuoi Tre newspaper for carrying out such a meaningful and humane program, supporting disadvantaged new students to enter university," she shared.
After borrowing from several banks to help his orphaned grandson enroll in school, the grandfather was overcome with emotion when his grandson received a scholarship.
Both of her parents have passed away. Mr. Tran Van Hieu brought his granddaughter, Vu Thu Huong, a new student at the University of Economics and Industrial Engineering, to receive her scholarship – Photo: NGUYEN KHANH
Vu Thu Huong is a new student at the University of Economics, Technology and Industry. This afternoon, Huong came to receive her scholarship along with her grandfather, Tran Van Hieu.
From Tan Hung commune, Hung Yen city, Mr. Hieu took his granddaughter to Ha Nam on his old motorbike. “Before we left, her grandmother told me to try my best to carry her, but to go slowly. Neither of us knew the way, so we kept asking for directions along the way. It took a long time to get there,” he recounted.
Speaking about his granddaughter, Mr. Tran Van Hieu choked up with emotion, expressing his immense love and affection for her. Her father passed away when Huong was just over a year old, and a year later, her mother also died. The grandparents have raised her from infancy until today, as she enters university.
He said Huong was a good student, filial to her grandparents, but a little shy. When they received her university acceptance letter, the couple experienced a mix of emotions. Now both over 70 years old, their income depends entirely on farming.
Regaining their spirits, the couple discussed borrowing money from the policy bank but were unsuccessful. Fortunately, they were able to borrow 30 million dong from the Agricultural Bank, just enough to cover Hương's first year tuition, rent, and initial furniture.
Mr. Hieu shared that, although they don't know what the future holds, he and his wife "still want their grandchild to get a proper education; sooner or later, we will pass away, and we only hope that after graduation, our grandchild can take care of themselves and become a useful member of society."
He said that when they heard the news that their grandchild had received the scholarship, they couldn't be happier. They thanked Tuoi Tre newspaper and all the benefactors who have shown concern for underprivileged students and helped them overcome difficulties.
"Fifteen million dong might not be a large sum of money for many people, but it's very precious to our family. It's a significant asset that will help my orphaned granddaughter go to school and pursue her dreams," he confided.
Text your teacher and relatives to ask, 'Is this scholarship real?'
Nguyen Thi Hong Mai shed tears as she boarded the bus to receive her scholarship – Photo: Vu Tuan
“I still can’t believe it’s true!” – Nguyen Thi Hong Mai, a freshman majoring in Banking Management at Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration, couldn’t hold back her tears as she boarded the bus to Ha Nam to receive her scholarship.
Mai was accompanied by her mother, Nguyen Thi Lan, 65 years old. Mrs. Lan woke up early to catch a bus from Dinh Hoa to Thai Nguyen City. The two then took another bus from Thai Nguyen to Hanoi and boarded a bus provided by the scholarship organizers to travel to Ha Nam. Despite suffering from back pain, Mrs. Lan resolutely traveled over 200 kilometers with her daughter to attend the scholarship award ceremony.
Ms. Lan shared that she is raising her child alone. The two of them make a living selling vegetables from a small stall at the central market of the commune. She had to borrow money from nearly a dozen relatives and friends just to have enough for her daughter's tuition. "I'm so happy! The scholarship for my daughter has eased the financial burden on my whole family, and she has the motivation to continue going to school," Ms. Lan shared.
New student Nguyen Thi Hong Mai burst into tears as she recounted the moment she received the news that her name was on the list of recipients for the scholarship to support her studies. “I couldn’t believe it was true! – I texted my homeroom teacher, and she confirmed it was a prestigious scholarship. Then she asked someone to double-check with the organizing committee. My relatives also asked around, and it was confirmed that I had indeed received the scholarship.”
Over 100 new students from 19 northern provinces and cities, along with their relatives, attended the scholarship awarding ceremony – Photo: NGUYEN KHANH
The child posted messages "around the world" boasting about receiving a scholarship, and the adoptive mother was so moved she was speechless.
On the bus carrying new students from various provinces and cities from Hanoi University of Technology to Phu Ly city (Ha Nam province), more than a dozen students wanted to sit in the front seats because they were prone to motion sickness. Everyone was eager to receive their scholarships. Many quietly made phone calls, boasting to friends and relatives that they had been awarded scholarships.
Nguyen Le Hang's face was pale from motion sickness, but she still messaged all her friends to share the good news. Hang said that the first person she told was her adoptive mother, who is also her stepmother.
"My mother was so happy she couldn't speak, she just kept smiling and praising her daughter for being so clever," Hang recounted.
She lost her mother when she was young, and her father remarried. When she was in 9th grade, her father passed away from cancer, and Hang lived with her adoptive mother, who was also her stepmother.
Since her father's death, the whole family has struggled because all their money has been spent on his medical treatment. Hang's adoptive mother works as a factory worker in a garment factory, earning a meager income while raising three children, including her husband's and her own.
Before going to university, Hang asked her cousin in Hanoi to find her a job. She was hired as a teaching assistant for mathematics at an educational center.
Every day, after school ends at lunchtime, Hang rushes to work as a teaching assistant, a distance of more than ten kilometers from the school. After the first class, around 2 PM, she quickly grabs a bite to eat before teaching again. The work is hard, but she is determined to study and work at the same time because her family circumstances do not allow her to rest.
“I was truly surprised and happy to receive the scholarship from the program. Before I started, my grandmother gave me all her savings from over a decade, and my foster mother also contributed a whole month's salary just to make up the difference. I will earn my own money for living expenses, rent, etc., to ease the burden on my mother,” Hang said.
20 Years of Working Together to Support and Empower the Future – By: Nha Chan – Mai Huyen
A single mother raising three children felt a great sense of relief upon hearing that the scholarship wasn't a scam.
Le Thi Ha and her mother, both new students from Bac Kan, traveled to Ha Nam to receive scholarships – Photo: DAU DUNG
From Quang Chu commune, Cho Moi district, Bac Kan province, Ms. Hoang Thi Thom (42 years old) brought her daughter, Le Thi Ha, to Ha Nam to receive a scholarship. Ha is currently a freshman in the Foreign Languages Faculty at Thai Nguyen University.
After her husband passed away, leaving behind two children, Ms. Thơm struggled alone with a few acres of rice fields, earning only a few million dong a month.
Recently, Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3) caused landslides, with mud and sand flooding into the house of the mother and her two children, and the damage has not yet been repaired. The authorities have urged the family to move elsewhere, but due to financial constraints, Ms. Thơm has taken her two children to stay with her aunt nearby.
Ms. Thom recounted that despite the difficult family circumstances, Ha always strived to study hard throughout her 12 years of schooling. "She said she was eager to learn and loved studying; as a mother, I had to do my best," she said.
Speaking about Ha receiving the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship, Ms. Thom smiled brightly. "When I heard the news, I kept asking around, from her former homeroom teacher to people from the Provincial Youth Union, because I thought I'd been scammed. Before that, no one in the whole district had ever received this scholarship. Only when someone from the Provincial Youth Union reassured the family did I feel relieved," she recounted.
The opening performance of the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship award ceremony in 2024 by Tuoi Tre newspaper – Photo: NGUYEN KHANH
Funding underprivileged but studious students is a contribution to the future.
Mr. Vu Hai Son, Deputy General Director of Vinacam Group, said that Vinacam has been a partner of the "Supporting Students to School" program for 21 years. He assessed that among charitable activities, "Supporting Students to School" is a highly meaningful program. The program has supported tens of thousands of disadvantaged students to continue their education and contribute to the country.
According to Mr. Hai, providing financial support to underprivileged students is a way of contributing to building their future.
"We sincerely hope you will truly strive, focus on your studies, and achieve the best results. That is our wish and also the best way for you to repay us. We want to see the spirit of the Vietnamese people always sharing in difficulties, always sharing and helping those who overcome hardship," Mr. Son said.
Nestle sponsors new university students in Northern Vietnam for the first time: Inspired by the resilience of underprivileged students.
Ms. Le Thi Hoai Thuong, Senior External Relations Manager of Nestle Vietnam Co., Ltd., stated that this is the 8th time Nestle has partnered with Tuoi Tre newspaper in the "Supporting Students to School" program.
In previous years, Nestle participated in awarding scholarships in the southern regions; this is the first time the company, together with Tuoi Tre newspaper, has awarded scholarships to new university students in the northern provinces. However, the company's staff and employees always follow the activities of the "Supporting Students to School" program .
Ms. Thuong stated that Nestle aims to care for children's health, create livelihoods for people, and engage in community-oriented activities. Therefore, the "Supporting Students to School" program and its reputation and humanitarian values, which have spread over the past 20 years, make Nestle always want to continue to accompany and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"We were able to share inspiring stories from the children. Those stories moved us deeply and made us feel more motivated," said Ms. Thuong.
>> TTO is updating
The "Supporting Students to School" scholarship award ceremony in Ha Nam was organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper in coordination with the Ha Nam Provincial Youth Union and other Northern Provincial and City Youth Unions.
The total cost of the program, exceeding 2 billion VND, was sponsored by the Farmers' Support Fund (Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company), the Vinacam Scholarship Fund (Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company), and readers of Tuoi Tre newspaper.
Each scholarship is worth 15 million VND in cash, including 2 special scholarships worth 50 million VND/for the entire 4 years of study, and 5 laptops for new students who are particularly disadvantaged and lack learning equipment.
2024 is the 21st year of the scholarship and the 9th awarding point in the Tuoi Tre Newspaper's 2024 Support to School scholarship program for more than 1,100 new students in difficult circumstances nationwide with a total cost of more than 20 billion VND.
In addition to the new students with difficult circumstances from 19 provinces and cities in the Northern region, the program also organizes scholarships to schools in the following regions: Central, Central Highlands, Southeast, Mekong Delta and provinces in the Northwest region...
The School Support Program received contributions and support from the Farmers' Companion Fund (Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company), Vinacam Education Promotion Fund (Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company) and the Quang Tri and Phu Yen Affection Clubs; School Support Clubs of Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam - Da Nang, Tien Giang - Ben Tre provinces and Tien Giang and Ben Tre Entrepreneurs Club in Ho Chi Minh City, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam Company; Mr. Duong Thai Son and friends, businesses and a large number of readers of Tuoi Tre newspaper...
In addition, Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company sponsored 50 laptops for particularly disadvantaged new students lacking learning equipment, worth approximately 600 million VND; Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd. sponsored 1,500 backpacks worth approximately 250 million VND; and the Vietnam-America English Language Center sponsored 50 free foreign language scholarships worth 625 million VND.
Through the State Bank of Vietnam, Bac A Commercial Joint Stock Bank has sponsored 1,500 books on financial education and financial management skills for new university students.
* Tuoi Tre Online is updating
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