Overcoming illness to pursue studies
At Hoang Van No Primary School ( Dien Bien Phu Ward), there are more than 100 ethnic minority students, most of whom live in difficult circumstances. Teachers here often say: “Each student has a story.” And in those stories, there are lives that are so difficult that it seems impossible to continue going to school without help from the community.
One of them is Lo Hai Dang - a 3rd grade student, Khmu ethnic group, in Ta Leng village - whose case has encountered more hardships than others. Orphaned at a young age, his mother is in poor health and cannot work, his grandmother is deaf and mute, both Dang and his brother are disabled students. The family does not have a stable income, all study expenses depend on the support of grandparents and relatives in the village.
Despite his lack of everything, Dang still went to class regularly. During the most difficult days, he still persevered in going to school with a simple dream: To continue studying like his friends.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Thanh - Principal of Hoang Van No Primary School, said: “We recognize Dang’s love of learning. He has made a lot of efforts to be able to attend this class. Currently, the school is actively implementing inclusive teaching, creating conditions for all students, especially those with difficult circumstances or disabilities, to study in the most friendly and suitable environment.”
Helping disabled students like Dang is not only a responsibility, but also a command from the heart. This is also the humane tradition of “helping each other” that the Hoang Van No Primary School always preserves and spreads.
Another touching case is Lo Thai Truong, born in 2014, a 6D student at Vo Nguyen Giap Secondary School (Muong Phang Commune). Truong's family is low-income, his parents are farmers, and his economy is unstable. But the biggest challenge for him is his illness: Truong had to undergo brain surgery and every month he has to go to a higher-level hospital for regular check-ups and treatment.
Head teacher Pham Van Hung commented: “Despite his extremely difficult circumstances and having to face illness, Truong has always been a well-behaved, polite student with a high sense of responsibility. He actively participates in group activities, knows how to help his friends and always trains himself very well.”
In studying, Truong has a spirit of self-discipline, always completing assigned tasks and exercises well. He also knows how to evaluate and self-evaluate learning results in each lesson, knows how to cooperate, share and support friends. Truong expressed: "I love going to school! I just hope to have enough health to go to class, to school with my friends."
“At school, we see an admirable determination to overcome difficulties. His optimism and perseverance are a shining example for his peers,” said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, Principal of Vo Nguyen Giap Secondary School.
Surrounded by hardships but still dreaming of learning to read and write
At Ta Cang Primary School (Na Tau Commune), there is Vang Duyen Phong, class 5A1 - one of the students with the most difficult circumstances. Phong lost his father when he was young, his mother left him to marry another man, he currently lives with his elderly grandparents, the fields are not enough to make ends meet.
Phong’s house is in Hua Rom village, about 6km from the school, but because it is not in a disadvantaged area, he is not entitled to boarding student benefits. However, the school has created conditions for Phong to stay in the boarding house and has connected with donors to ensure he has a full lunch and dinner.
Mr. Lo Van Minh, the homeroom teacher, said: “Phong is a good and hard-working student. Despite all the hardships, he has never neglected his studies. Every page of his notebook and every pen is a precious asset to him, to be cherished and protected. That is also the motivation for teachers to find every way to support him and help him continue to go to school regularly.”
At Na Nhan Primary School No. 1 (Muong Phang Commune), Sung A San, a 5A1 student, has a particularly harsh situation: He has no father, his mother is deaf and mute, and has no job. His family is among the poorest in the village. Every day going to school is a journey full of effort, because even the minimum conditions for studying are sometimes not guaranteed.
However, teachers and friends always mention San with compliments: polite, honest, responsible and always striving to improve. “The compliments from teachers are the motivation for me to continue to make more efforts in studying and training. I will try to study well, then later find a stable job to support myself and my mother,” Sung A San confided.
According to Ms. Tran Ngoc Lan, homeroom teacher of class 5A1, San is very obedient, polite to teachers, respectful to grandmother, mother and elders, and sociable with friends. She always knows how to help people around her, lives honestly, is good and obedient, has a sense of morality and good manners. She follows the school, class and boarding school rules well, and is active and exemplary in group activities.
“San is very studious, always completes her homework well, knows how to cooperate and support her friends. Those efforts have helped her make great progress recently,” Ms. Lan shared.
Community joins hands, the path of learning is wide open
The road to school for poor students in the highlands has never been easy. But it is in the midst of hardship that their determination shines through. Looking at their journeys, one thing is clear: Difficult circumstances cannot overshadow their will to study and their desire to excel.
From the 2024-2025 school year, all four students mentioned above have been sponsored by the Education and Times Newspaper, supporting 500,000 VND per month. Although the support is small, it is very meaningful for families who are already facing many difficulties. With this amount of money, the students can buy more books, clothes, school supplies or cover part of their living expenses.
Thanks to this regular support, the students’ learning and training situation has improved significantly. Teachers at the schools have noted that the students have a more stable mentality, are more enthusiastic about learning and, especially, are no longer at risk of dropping out of school midway like before.
Vang Duyen Phong did not let the sadness of being an orphan overshadow his passion for learning. Lo Thai Truong persevered in overcoming his illness, optimistically studying despite having to undergo brain surgery and regular check-ups. Sung A San maintained his determination to learn, despite his deaf-mute mother and his family's difficult circumstances. Hai Dang still went to class regularly despite his family's hardships and his being a disabled student... Each child is a beautiful flower, spreading fragrance through their own determination and love of learning.
Ms. Tran Ngoc Lan, a teacher at Na Nhan Primary School No. 1, expressed: "Since receiving the support, on behalf of his family, I would like to sincerely thank the Newspaper for your attention, sharing and help so that Sung A San has more motivation to excel in his studies and life."
Thanks to the support of the Education and Times Newspaper, and the generosity of the donors, the children have been able to continue writing their beautiful stories - stories of hope, constant efforts and never-ending dreams. This shows that with just a little sharing, an open hand, we can help them change their fate, continue to go to school, nurture their dreams and become useful citizens for society.
The touching stories of the four students are just a small slice of the overall picture of the difficult journey of children in the mountainous areas to go to school. In fact, there are hundreds and thousands of students in Dien Bien and other mountainous provinces who are in dire need of the community's support.
The model “Helping you go to school” implemented by the Education and Times Newspaper is currently supporting 18 students in especially difficult circumstances, orphaned by one or both parents. Of these, four students are directly sponsored by the Education and Times Newspaper, while 14 students are supported by philanthropists, mostly thanks to the kindness of Ms. Hoang Thi Hoa (Hoa Hoang, 68 Cau Giay, Hanoi) and a group of volunteer friends.
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/nang-buoc-em-toi-truong-chap-canh-uoc-mo-vung-cao-post759544.html
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