Volunteer to go to the most challenging places.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Nga (born in 1993) is a teacher, Secretary of the Youth Union, and Head of the Women's Union at Ma Da Kindergarten, Tri An Commune, Dong Nai Province. During the 2024-2025 school year, Ms. Nga volunteered to work at the Cay Sung school branch, one of the most disadvantaged and underprivileged areas in the commune, located more than ten kilometers from the main school.
That school year, a colleague was assigned to the Cay Sung school but had an unexpected family emergency. Ms. Nga didn't hesitate to volunteer to take over the assignment. "When a friend is in such a situation, I volunteer to go to the forest that year so that she can go home and take care of her family," Ms. Nga shared.
Teacher Nguyen Thi Thu Nga has been dedicated to the profession for 11 years. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.
"Going through the forest" is how Ms. Nga and her colleagues describe their journey to class for the children in Cay Sung. The teachers have to traverse a desolate, red dirt road with no phone signal, winding through the forest canopy.
"In the dry season, it's incredibly dusty; just following another motorbike leaves your face covered in red dust. My students keep asking what I put on my face. And in the rainy season, it's muddy, full of potholes, and sometimes you hear a sudden thud. My colleague and I often joke that you just shouldn't drop yourself in the middle of a puddle," Ms. Nga recounted.
It was on that challenging path that her love for underprivileged children became the driving force that kept her moving forward each day.
At Cay Sung, most of her students are children from ethnic minority communities, whose families are farmers or laborers, and whose lives are still full of hardships. Understanding this, she not only teaches literacy but also becomes a friend and a second mother to them.
The flame of legacy and the heart of a loving mother.
"My family has a tradition of teaching," Ms. Nga proudly stated. That love for the profession has motivated her not only to fulfill her duties but to do even better.
With 11 years in the profession, the passion passed down from her family has never faded. She sees teaching not just as a job, but as a mission. She is deeply concerned about every scribbled letter, every meal, every piece of clothing her students wear. Understanding their hardships, she has become a tireless advocate.
Ms. Nga actively connects with and mobilizes benefactors to donate resources to support the school's students. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.
Through her enthusiasm and credibility, she proactively connected with benefactors and mobilized hundreds of donations. These included awnings, cabinets, sunshades, and electric fans to make the classrooms more presentable. They also provided essential supplies, tuition support, and valuable meal assistance for disadvantaged students.
For her, happiness was sometimes just the innocent eyes and radiant smiles of her students. That affection was so strong that, many years later, when the students had grown up, their memories of their teacher, Ms. Nga, remained vivid.
"There are some children I've been teaching since I graduated, and now they're in 9th or 10th grade. When I happen to meet them on the street, they still respectfully greet me with folded hands. It warms my heart to hear that," she said, visibly moved.
Unwavering creativity, the enthusiasm of youth.
Ms. Nga is also a passionate and creative Youth Union official. She has initiated many effective models such as the "Green Youth Union Branch" and the "Youth Project: Medicinal Herb Garden" – where children can personally care for plants and learn about nature. Programs like "Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration" and "Spring Connection - Tet Sharing" organized by her have become true festivals, bringing laughter and memorable childhood memories to children in disadvantaged areas.
Teacher Nguyen Thu Nga. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.
In her professional work, she is always exploring and innovating. Her innovative teaching method, "Measures to improve the effectiveness of introducing letters to 5-6 year old children," has been recognized and widely applied, helping children learn letters in the most natural and effective way.
With the belief that "if we live, we should work wholeheartedly, give love, and surely we will receive love in return," teacher Nguyen Thi Nga has been using her life and work to spread beautiful values.
To date, teacher Nguyen Thi Thu Nga has received numerous awards and commendations. These include a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister, a Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Education and Training ; she was awarded the title of Outstanding Young Party Member of Dong Nai Province in 2025; and the title of Advanced Youth Following Uncle Ho's Teachings in Dong Nai Province in 2025.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Nga was one of 20 individuals honored at the "Youth Living Beautifully" award ceremony in 2025, organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union in collaboration with TCP Vietnam Company on the evening of October 11th in Hanoi .
Source: https://tienphong.vn/co-giao-9x-tinh-nguyen-di-rung-gieo-chu-post1786260.tpo
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