'I want to go to school' - Tuoi Tre Online

'Con muốn tới trường’ - Ảnh 1. — Little girl Khanh Linh longs to go to school with her friends - Photo: NAM TRAN

Dang Khanh Linh (6th grade student at Tuc Duyen Secondary School, Thai Nguyen province) is one of the disadvantaged students who received the scholarship "Preventing dropouts for students affected by storm No. 3" organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper in collaboration with Thai Nguyen Provincial Youth Union on September 28.

Thai Nguyen is the first province in the North to be affected by the historic flood caused by storm number 3 (storm Yagi ). Thousands of households were submerged in water, including children who had to temporarily stay home from school because of the isolated floodwaters.

Sharing the difficulties with the families and encouraging the studious spirit of the students, the organizing committee awarded 100 gifts worth 3 million VND/person to 100 students and 7 gifts worth 5 million VND/person to 7 teachers in Thai Nguyen province.

'Mom, let me go to class'

'Con muốn tới trường’ - Ảnh 2. — 100 disadvantaged students in Thai Nguyen province received the scholarship "Preventing dropouts for students affected by storm No. 3" from Tuoi Tre newspaper - Photo: NAM TRAN

Looking at the bright smile on the pretty face of Dang Khanh Linh (6th grade student at Tuc Duyen Secondary School, Thai Nguyen province), no one would know that she is suffering from the terrible disease cancer.

Even though a year has passed, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thiem (Khanh Linh’s mother) has never forgotten the day she discovered her daughter had the disease. That day after school, her little daughter suddenly felt tired, vomited everything she ate… Ms. Thiem took her daughter to the doctor and discovered that Khanh Linh had liver cancer.

The doctor’s announcement was like a bolt from the blue, and Ms. Thiem was devastated. The only way to save her child was a liver transplant, but her family was poor… as a mother, she could only take her child home.

Since then, Khanh Linh's body has gotten weaker and weaker, there are days when she can't get up. But as soon as she feels a little less tired, Linh calls her mother, "Mom, let me go to class."

'Con muốn tới trường’ - Ảnh 3. — Recalling the pain her daughter had to go through, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thiem (Khanh Linh's mother) could not hold back her tears - Photo: NAM TRAN

"I'm just sick, I really like going to school. I want to go to school to see my teacher and friends. Going to school makes me happier and healthier," Khanh Linh smiled.

Last year, Khanh Linh finished primary school. Looking at her little daughter, Ms. Thiem could not hold back her tears.

The mother’s biggest wish, whose hair has turned gray due to worry, is for her daughter to be healthy so that she can spend more time in school. The joy of going to school is the motivation that helps Khanh Linh fight her illness.

Mom far away can rest assured that I am at home.

'Con muốn tới trường’ - Ảnh 4. — Journalist Do Thi Ngoc Ha - Head of Tuoi Tre Newspaper Representative Office in the Northern region - awarded scholarships to students in Thai Nguyen. At the ceremony, Ms. Ngoc Ha shared inspirational stories and the hearts of Tuoi Tre newspaper readers for students whose families were affected by storm No. 3 - Photo: NAM TRAN

As for Duong Ngoc Ha My (grade 8, Chua Hang II Secondary School, Thai Nguyen), the scholarship awarded by Tuoi Tre newspaper is a surprise gift.

Diagnosed with the disease in 2017-2018, Ha My's father's health gradually weakened and he had to undergo dialysis... All the worries in the house fell on her mother's shoulders. From selling food, in 2023, when she had just given birth to her youngest child for 6 months, her mother went to work in Korea to earn money to raise her three children and pay for her husband's treatment.

As the eldest sister, Ha My, although still in her dreamy age, has matured, helping her father with housework and looking after her younger siblings. During the days when her father went for dialysis, the three sisters stayed home to look after each other. The hardest part was that her youngest sibling had to be away from her mother when she was only 6 months old, many nights Ha My had to stay up late to help her father look after and feed her younger sibling.

During the recent flood, My's house was flooded, and her father and children had to evacuate to her grandmother's house. When they returned, all their belongings were damaged by the flood. Each of them had their own job, taking care of her younger sibling and cleaning the house. Without her mother at home, My had to "grow up" faster and become more mature, but she always felt grateful because her parents gave her a happy family.

Holding the scholarship from Tuoi Tre newspaper in her hand, My was moved to tears. She said she would send this money to her father so he could cover the family's living expenses.