About 30 years ago, seeing that the people were still poor and lacked the means to send their children to school, former soldier Nguyen Huu Thoi (78 years old; residing in Long Xuyen ward, An Giang province) decided to open a charity school.
The journey of nurturing future generations.
Since then, the class has been maintained for many years, providing a place for homeless, orphaned, and impoverished children to receive an education.
When we asked about establishing the charity class, Mr. Thoi's eyes lit up and he enthusiastically recounted the story.
Accordingly, since retiring, seeing the plight of the poor children, Mr. Thoi asked the ward leaders to establish a charity class.
Two teachers with their students, who are underprivileged and orphaned children.
"The people in this neighborhood are very poor, coming from all over; many children don't go to school or don't have the means to do so. Therefore, I felt I needed to do something to help these children. Anything is possible, but a lack of literacy is unacceptable," Mr. Thoi shared.
According to Mr. Thoi, when the class first opened, there were only about 5 students. Later, the class increased to about 8 students. They studied two main subjects, Math and Vietnamese, in a small, simple classroom.
After many years of maintenance, with the support and attention of the government and philanthropists, the classroom has now been built in a more spacious and modern style. Currently, there is one classroom measuring over 60 square meters, accommodating students from grades 1 to 5 with approximately 15 students.
Mr. Thoi added that, due to his advanced age and declining health, he has handed over the teaching and management of the class to Ms. Phan Thu Thuy (50 years old; retired teacher; residing in Long Xuyen ward) and Ms. Tran Kim Phuong (70 years old).
Chau Ly (14 years old, a 3rd grade student) expressed: "Every day coming to school here is a joy for me. The teachers here teach very well, I have learned many lessons, and I feel very grateful to them for their dedication in teaching us."
Mr. Nguyen Van Quang (a resident of Nguyen Du hamlet, My Binh ward) said that most of the students come from disadvantaged backgrounds and do not have access to formal education. Since studying with Ms. Phuong and Ms. Thuy, he has noticed that the children are much more well-behaved and polite, no longer causing trouble or fighting like before.
The teacher is like a kind mother.
Having been involved with the children here for nearly 15 years, Ms. Thuy said that the students here did not receive a complete education from a young age, so her dedication stems from her desire to give them the opportunity to learn to read and write, acquire sufficient knowledge, and grow up to be self-sufficient.
In addition to teaching, the teachers here also actively engage with and connect with the children's families so that the children can attend school without incurring any costs.
Local government representatives visited the children and their teacher at the charity class.
While teaching phonics to first-grade students, Ms. Phuong said that teaching the children here is difficult, as many of them are disobedient and mischievous because they haven't received much love since childhood.
Having previously taught at a primary school in Long Xuyen ward, after retiring, Ms. Phuong sought out this class to teach the children for free.
"What motivated me to come to this class is my love for the children. They have grown up in poverty and hardship, so I hope that my lessons will be valuable things that they will always remember, so that on their journey to adulthood, they will be kind people, build a bright future, and contribute to society," Ms. Phuong confided.
According to Ms. Phuong, in addition to teaching academics, the teachers also teach life skills, skills related to painting and music , and skills for dealing with bullying and abuse.
"We came here hoping to sow seeds of love among the children, so that they have more motivation to overcome their current difficulties and build a better future," Ms. Phuong shared.
Diligent teachers
Mr. Tran Van Kiem, Secretary of Nguyen Du Hamlet, Long Xuyen Ward, said that the charity class in the locality is very meaningful for poor and disadvantaged students who do not have the means to attend regular school.
"The children are fortunate to have dedicated teachers here who wholeheartedly love and teach them valuable lessons, helping them to be more confident on their path to the future," Mr. Kiem remarked.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/dieu-dac-biet-tai-lop-hoc-tinh-thuong-cua-nguoi-cuu-chien-binh-o-an-giang-196251026151631062.htm
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