"Our family is poor, we don't know how far we can study..."

Mother works far away, Trung and Thanh stay at home with their father whose health and mental health are unstable.

Three people only have more than 2 million VND per month to pay for medical treatment, education, and living expenses.

Located in Hamlet 1, Vinh Vien town, Trung’s family’s house is nestled in the middle of rice fields, and you have to cross several dikes to get there. It is called a house but it is not a house, because Trung’s family is staying at his aunt’s house. The family’s house has long been seriously degraded, and has to be demolished and there are no conditions to rebuild it.

Welcoming us with a gentle smile, Mr. Ngo Van Mien, Trung's father, was no longer conscious enough to share about his family's situation. According to relatives, Mr. Mien and his wife had worked for many years in Dong Nai province, leaving their two children with relatives in the countryside to go to school. In 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the two returned to their hometown to live. Not long after that, Mr. Mien suffered a stroke, leading to a coma and then hemiplegia.

When Mr. Mien returned from death's door, his family was truly exhausted. Mr. Ngo Van Dinh, Mr. Mien's younger brother, said: "When he was sick, everyone in the family lent him a bunch of money to treat his illness, and he still hasn't been able to pay it back. Now he's sick and has to go get medicine every month. His health and mind are unstable, so he can't do anything."

Since then, all the burden has fallen on the shoulders of Mrs. Nguyen Hong Tuoi, Trung's mother, who is currently working as a hired hand in Dong Nai, sending home 2 million VND each month. In addition, there is also 700,000 VND in disability benefits from Mr. Mien. It takes a lot of planning to cover all the living expenses of the family, the education of Trung and his two brothers, and the treatment of their father.

Worry about the two brothers' studies...

I met Ngo Van Thanh, Trung's younger brother, a 4C student at Vinh Vien 1 Primary School, when he was following a group of children in the neighborhood to collect duck eggs in the fields. An activity that seemed like an innocent game for children in the countryside, but contained within it the worries about food, clothing, rice, and money. A few leftover duck eggs were enough for a simple meal for the three of them.

In a house without a mother, Trung and Thanh had to do everything themselves, from helping each other study to preparing meals, washing clothes and looking after their father. After school, they helped their uncle and aunt with odd jobs, so that their family could help when needed. Although they were not very good at studying, both brothers had a desire to study well and cherished their own dreams.

With an innocent look, Thanh said that he quite likes math, but wants to become an athlete. As for Trung, he worries: "If my family has the means, I also want to go to university to have a good job, enough to take care of myself and my family. But I'm afraid that my father is sick a lot, my mother can't take care of him, I have to drop out of school to ease her burden, then go to work to help my mother,...".

Mr. Le Tan Dat, Vice President of the Association for the Blind - Agent Orange - Disabled and Protection of Children's Rights in Long My District, said: "Mr. Mien's family is a poor household in the locality, the family is facing many difficulties. Over the past time, we have learned about this situation and are looking for ways to support the family."

Trung and Thanh really need arms outstretched to support them, to help their future and their family have brighter colors.

For any help, please send to Ngo Van Trung, a student of class 8A1, Truong Tan Lap Secondary School, Vinh Vien town, Long My district, or contact via phone number 0399 752 179 - Mr. Ngo Van Dinh, uncle of Ngo Van Trung and Ngo Van Thanh, in Hamlet 1, Vinh Vien town, Long My district.

LETTER

Source: https://baohaugiang.com.vn/tam-long-vang/nha-ngheo-hai-anh-em-con-khong-biet-hoc-duoc-toi-dau-140454.html