A freshman at Da Nang University of Architecture once sat crying in the hospital hallway, hugging her mother: "Mom, I have to drop out of school, find a job, and then if I have money later, I'll retake the entrance exam."
The mother, who was almost completely blind, also had tears streaming down her face, grieving for her child.
These days, Phan Thi Hue An – an orphaned girl whose father passed away and whose mother is battling advanced-stage cancer in Dien Ban, Quang Nam province, and the recipient of the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship – is confidently sitting in the lecture hall of her dream university.
An's journey to university was filled with intense hopes, but also pain and disappointment when she couldn't afford tuition fees. However, that journey also brightened when An was introduced to the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship program of Tuoi Tre newspaper.
Not just once, but twice the poor girl received assistance as if by a miracle.
Phan Thi Hue An's mother is Phan Thi Le, 53 years old (from Dien Ban, Quang Nam province). At the age of 18, Ms. Le left her impoverished hometown to work as a domestic helper in Ho Chi Minh City. She lived in a household and was arranged to marry and subsequently had a child with the homeowner's son.
When An was just a baby, her father fell seriously ill and passed away. To raise her child, Mrs. Le had to do all kinds of jobs to make a living. But it was heartbreaking when her daughter was 5 years old and she was diagnosed with cancer. All the money she earned from collecting scrap metal and washing dishes to buy food for her child was poured into medication to treat the disease.
When An was six years old, unable to endure it any longer, Mrs. Le took her child back to Dien Ban town to continue their wandering. An suffered from severe malnutrition due to living in harsh and deprived conditions.
Since An started school in her hometown, the two of them have often traveled south for Mrs. Le's cancer treatment. Whenever she felt a little better, An and her mother would return to their old hometown, continuing their journey of poverty.
Despite her harsh circumstances, An excelled in her studies. When applying to university, she chose graphic design at the Da Nang University of Architecture and scored high enough to be admitted. But it was from this point that a truly enormous obstacle appeared, like a mountain, before her and her poor mother. However, life's miracle caused Huệ An to burst into tears, overwhelmed with joy, never imagining she could be so lucky.
Through introductions from teachers and readers, a reporter from Tuoi Tre newspaper sought out An and her mother. In a room on the 4th floor of Dien Ban Regional General Hospital, An used to sit sadly beside her mother, whose eyesight was almost completely gone.
Huệ An said that when she received her acceptance letter and saw that the tuition fee for each semester was 20 million dong, her mother almost gave up. She tried to find a glimmer of hope by borrowing some money from acquaintances, even just a few hundred thousand dong, to help pay for her daughter's education. But she emptied her phone credit and no one would lend her any. Everyone was hesitant because they were worried about someone with advanced cancer, homeless, unemployed, and uncertain about whether they could repay the loan.
Teachers at An's former high school also tried to contact scholarship providers. However, the results of these scholarships couldn't be given immediately, as the enrollment period was fast approaching.
That morning, after days of trying everything, Hue An helped her mother out to the hallway to sit down. The poor girl leaned on her mother's shoulder and burst into tears: "Mom, I'm not going to university anymore." Her elderly, ailing mother had never felt such helplessness in her life. Then she too broke down in tears like her daughter.
Upon learning about An and her mother's story, Tuoi Tre Online guided An in preparing her application for the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship. While waiting for the application to be reviewed, we introduced the new university student's situation to businessman Duong Thai Son – director of Nam Long Packaging Company, a major philanthropist who has supported the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship for many years.
That evening, Mr. Son contacted Hue An. Over the phone, Mr. Son still empathized with An's helplessness. He made an immediate decision: " I will support you with 20 million VND each year for your studies, instead of just 12 million VND like the other new students I'm helping !"
Mr. Son's words were like a parched, withered tree in the desert being doused with cool, refreshing water. An responded with a resounding "yes," then rushed from the hospital to get her clothes and documents ready to leave for Da Nang the next morning to complete the enrollment procedures.
The next morning, An drove to Da Nang University of Architecture even though "the money from Mr. Son hadn't arrived in the account yet."
Standing outside the large school gate, An was still worried, unsure if "Uncle Son" would really help. Then, unexpectedly, she received a message from "Uncle Son" saying the money had been transferred, making An almost shout with joy in the crowd.
She went to the school to register. Her account was suddenly down to just a few hundred thousand dong, because over 19 million dong had already been paid in tuition. But that didn't matter anymore; for An, it was more than enough.
At the enrollment ceremony that day, Mr. Nguyen Van Dau (from Dien Ban town), a reader of Tuoi Tre newspaper, was present. He had learned about An's situation from her teachers, verified the information, and introduced her to the Tuoi Tre newspaper's "Supporting Students to School" scholarship. Around noon, An ran to where Mr. Dau was standing, holding a plastic card with a QR code, student information, and a portrait photo. The new architecture student proudly showed it to Mr. Dau, almost in tears: "I'm a student now, Uncle! I don't know how to repay you!"
The perseverance and thirst for learning of Phan Thi Hue An – Performed by: THAI BA DUNG – NHA CHAN – MAI HUYEN – TON VU
After receiving assistance from Mr. Duong Thai Son, on the morning of September 27th, An was invited to the "Supporting Students to School" scholarship award ceremony for new students from Quang Nam and Da Nang at Palm Garden Resort in Hoi An. While sitting in the auditorium, Hue An had no idea that she was one of two lucky new students to receive a very special scholarship, awarded to her by a generous benefactor just hours before the ceremony, worth 150 million VND for 5 years of study (the entire course).
Ms. Le Thi Quynh Nga (Thua Thien Hue ), a member of the Quang Nam - Da Nang School Support Club, was deeply moved by the stories of adversity faced by the new university students and decided to award scholarships for their entire university journey to two individuals recommended by the scholarship program.
Invited onto the stage and receiving this generous gift, An rubbed her eyes and burst into tears. The tears flowed continuously until she walked down the aisle, bowing and shaking hands to thank each benefactor.
“I don’t know what else to say. I feel like it’s all a miracle. I thank all the aunts, uncles, and grandparents for their kindness,” An sobbed. The adults approached An and gave her warm hugs and comforting words, as if to give strength to the poor girl.
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