Please support the educational dreams of orphaned Tay ethnic minority students.

(Dong Nai) - "I am a Tay ethnic minority, and I understand that literacy is the only ticket to changing one's life. I had to work very hard to be able to enter university, becoming a second-year student in the Industrial Electrical Engineering major at Dong An High-Tech College (Ho Chi Minh City)."

"With just over a year left until graduation, I'm surrounded by grief, loss, and hardship… putting me at risk of dropping out of school because I don't have enough money to pay tuition for the new semester," Nong Van Nam trailed off, his lips tightly pressed together to suppress a sob.

Orphaned of both parents, Nong Van Nam and his brother are now left to rely on each other. Photo: Thu Hien

Nam's family was once a poor household in Cao Bang province. They moved to Hamlet 4, Hai Can village, Phu Nghia commune (Dong Nai province) hoping that hard work would lift them out of poverty and allow Nam and his siblings to get an education. However, before they could establish a stable home, tragedy struck. In 2014, the family's breadwinner – his beloved father – suddenly passed away due to a work accident.

The burden of providing for the family fell entirely on Nam's poor mother's shoulders. Regardless of the weather, she toiled tirelessly, peeling cashew nuts and working late nights and early mornings tapping rubber trees for hire. Even when her body weakened and persistent coughs drained her strength, she didn't dare seek medical attention, simply wanting to save a little more money to provide a better education for her children. That struggle ultimately ended in tragedy 20 days ago when their mother passed away from terminal lung cancer.

Nong Van Nam's hands, once used to hold pens and books, are now calloused from years of manual labor. Photo: Thu Hien

On the day Nam's mother passed away, neighbors rallied together to raise funds for the funeral. After the pain of loss and the overwhelming difficulties, Nam considered dropping out of school. But regretting the loss of his dreams and the effort he had put into his studies for two years, he decided to continue studying while working part-time.

“The income from waiting tables, mowing lawns, and tapping rubber trees for hire… is barely enough to cover my basic living expenses. The tuition fee of 20 million VND per semester is a huge obstacle, and I don't know where to start,” Nam shared.

The greatest sacrifice comes from Nam's younger sister, Nong Thi Hoa (18 years old). Immediately after graduating from high school, Hoa dropped out of school, giving her brother the opportunity to continue his education. Hoa asked her mother to let her study skincare and physiotherapy so she could easily find a job. The course was interrupted when her mother fell seriously ill, forcing Hoa to return home to care for her. Now that her mother has passed away, Hoa's dream of returning to school is also distant, as she cannot earn enough money to pay for tuition.

These certificates of merit are proof of Nam's tireless efforts. Now, orphaned and impoverished, he faces the risk of not being able to attend university. Photo: Thu Hien

“Oh, orphans, how pitiful! Who will care for them when they are hungry and thirsty…?” The house, built by the Women's Association in 2017 on land donated by Nam's mother's older brother, contains no valuable possessions. These children desperately need a helping hand, a source of strength, so that their dreams as poor students are not extinguished and so that the future of these two orphaned children can escape the darkness.

☎ All charitable donations should be sent to the following address:

+ The "Wings of Dreams" program, Public Relations and Documentation Department, Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television.

+ Receiving account: 6550069226 - BIDV Bank, Dong Nai branch, Dong Nai Newspaper, Radio and Television. Please specify in the transfer details: Support for Nong Van Nam.

The "Wings of Dreams" scholarship program, session 125, will take place at 9:30 AM on December 21, 2025, at the home of Nam (Group 4, Hai Can Hamlet, Phu Nghia Commune, Dong Nai Province).

Thu Hien

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202512/xin-nang-do-uoc-mo-hoc-tap-cua-sinh-vien-dan-toc-tay-mo-coi-cha-me-83508dc/