Through the process of reviewing and approving applications for the "Supporting Top Students" program, the organizing committee noticed that many students come from particularly difficult circumstances. Many were orphaned at a very young age and grew up in families where only grandparents or their mother/maternal grandmother were left as their sole support.
Their childhoods were marked by poverty, illness, and prolonged family breakdowns, but these children did not succumb to fate. They persevered in their education, viewing knowledge as a foundation for forging their own future.
The tragic situation of parents dying one after another from cancer.
Vo Ngoc Gia Han is a freshman in the 2025 intake at Thu Dau Mot University. In her letter to the program, Gia Han recounted her childhood marked by successive losses, as both her father and mother passed away from cancer.
Gia Han's mother passed away when she was just two years old. After that, she lived with her father and paternal grandparents. However, when Gia Han was about to start first grade, her father also died from a terrible cancer, plunging the family into extremely difficult circumstances. The burden of raising and caring for her fell entirely on the shoulders of her elderly paternal grandparents.
According to Gia Han, despite their advanced age, her grandparents still have to work hard every day to provide for her education. Her grandfather works as a laborer to earn a living, while her grandmother stays at home doing housework and raising livestock. Due to their special circumstances, Gia Han has also received support from sponsors and benefactors, helping her to continue her schooling and somewhat easing the burden on her grandparents.
Throughout her 12 years of high school, Gia Han consistently strived for excellence and achieved the title of outstanding student from grade 1 to grade 12. "That achievement is largely thanks to the teaching and nurturing of my grandparents," Gia Han shared with Tien Phong newspaper.
The female student expressed her wish to find a stable job after graduating from university so she could take care of her grandparents and help them have a less difficult life. Furthermore, she hopes to succeed in order to support those in difficult circumstances, helping them continue their education. "The 'Supporting Top Students' Scholarship is not only financial support but also a motivation for me to confidently move forward," Gia Hân added.
Also growing up in an incomplete family, Luc Duyen Mai is one of the outstanding students of the 2025 university entrance exam season. In the high school graduation exam, she achieved 28.25 points in the C00 subject group, ranking among the top 10 highest-scoring candidates in Ben Tre province, with a score of 9.25 in Literature.
Duyen Mai said that throughout her high school years, despite not having the same financial resources as many of her peers, she actively participated in youth union and student association activities, volunteered, and maintained good academic performance. The results she achieved are the fruit of her persistent efforts and unwavering aspiration to excel.
"People need at least one reason, one dream, to persevere. If there is no place to settle in your heart, then wherever you go, you will be lost," Duyen Mai shared about the saying she always takes as her guiding principle. From that, she chose the Literature Education major, not only because of her love for literature but also because she aspires to become a dedicated teacher who inspires students to learn.
Duyen Mai said she has a special empathy for children from disadvantaged backgrounds who lack direction for the future, because she herself has experienced that feeling. In the future, the student hopes to become a passionate teacher, able to take care of her family while also contributing to the community. Besides that, she also dreams of becoming an editor, working with words and spreading humanitarian values.
"The 'Supporting Top Students' program not only provides financial support but is like a flame that ignites faith, willpower, and aspirations to overcome adversity for me and many other students," Duyen Mai expressed.
In a house without a man, the mother is the sole breadwinner.
Pham Anh Thu was born and raised in a disadvantaged family. Her father passed away when Thu was in 8th grade due to a blood infection, and since then, her mother has single-handedly shouldered the entire financial burden of raising and educating her children.
The mother and daughter rely on a small hair salon for their livelihood, earning an average of about 5 million VND per month. This is just enough to cover living expenses and tuition fees, but they often struggle due to rising prices. Thư's older brother has his own family, and his income is only sufficient to support his own small household.
According to Anh Thu, the fact that her grandfather was a war martyr and her father was a Party member further motivated her to be more aware of her responsibilities to her family and society. Despite limited resources, she always strived to excel in her studies. Throughout her 12 years of high school, Anh Thu achieved many outstanding accomplishments, such as the title of "Excellent Student" at the national level, second prize in the provincial English competition, and top entrance exam score for the 51st cohort at Can Tho University.
"These results are not just academic achievements, but proof that the path my mother and I, who has always silently sacrificed for her, have chosen is the right one," Anh Thu shared. She clearly remembers the long nights studying, with her mother always by her side, never leaving her alone.
In the future, Anh Thu aims to continue her studies, cultivate her ethics and skills, strive to work in an international environment in her field, and contribute to the development of the country with her knowledge and enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Vo Ngo Nhu Hieu, a student at the University of Economics - Da Nang University, currently lives with her mother and grandmother in a small house in Da Nang. Her family is classified as near-poor. Her father, a disabled veteran (category 1/4), passed away nearly three years ago after a serious illness.
Nhu Hieu's mother has been visually impaired since childhood and is now elderly and frail, unable to work steadily. She used to sell goods at the market, but is no longer able to continue that job. Nhu Hieu works part-time at cafes, but her income is low, and the family still faces many difficulties.
Nevertheless, Nhu Hieu always strived in her studies and achieved the title of Valedictorian in the Supply Chain Management and Logistics major, Faculty of Business Administration. "This achievement is a source of pride and motivation for me to continue striving," Nhu Hieu shared.
Currently, the male student aims to graduate with honors, become fluent in English and Chinese to expand his job opportunities, and soon be able to repay his family's kindness. "Although I wasn't as fortunate as many others, my parents spared no effort to raise me. I hope that in the future I will be strong enough not to let them down," Như Hiếu expressed.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/thu-khoa-buoc-qua-nghich-canh-post1810822.tpo
Comment (0)