Touching image of a schoolboy from Ca Mau collecting scrap metal on his way to school.

The young student from Ngoc Hien district cycled through Nam Can district, Ca Mau province, to school, his bike always laden with discarded bottles and containers of waste... The image of him touched the hearts of many, evoking a sense of determination to learn.

Despite having to carry scraps (to feed the pigs) and collect recyclable materials along the way, Do doesn't feel inferior or ashamed - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Le Huu Do, a student in class 11B2 at Phan Ngoc Hien High School in Nam Can district, Ca Mau province, cycles to school every day. His home is about 5km from the school, and on his way to school, he makes sure to carry eight containers to hold leftover rice from local houses along the way.

After school, on her way home, she would empty the containers of leftover food scraps to feed her pigs and chickens. Besides collecting leftover food scraps, Do also picked up empty bottles, cans, and cardboard boxes to sell and earn money for her studies.

Do's bicycle was different from the others at school because it had to carry a lot of scrap materials and "tools" for collecting waste - Photo: THANH HUYEN

According to homeroom teacher Le Thi Cam Van, every day Do brings his "tools" to school to collect leftover rice water that people throw away to feed his pigs, and he also collects plastic bottles to sell for money to go to school.

"Since learning about her unfortunate circumstances, the students at school have been collecting discarded plastic water bottles for Do to sell."

"She doesn't feel ashamed or inferior because of her poverty; instead, she works hard and studies diligently. I and the other teachers at the school often use Do's example of hard work and dedication to study as a role model for other students so that they can empathize and strive to overcome any circumstances," Ms. Van said.

Knowing about Do's difficult circumstances, after school, her classmates collected used plastic bottles for her to sell to earn money for her studies - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Taking advantage of the opportunity to pick up a few more discarded water bottles in the school grounds - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Previously, in October 2024, Ms. Tran Thi Dong (a teacher at Phan Ngoc Hien High School) noticed a "strange" bicycle parked in the school grounds. She investigated and posted a video on TikTok showing students from the school having to ride bicycles to collect waste and pick up recyclable materials to earn money.

"I'm not trying to get views, but I see that he has extraordinary willpower, similar to my own childhood when I had to balance selling goods and going to school. I want to share his story so that people can know, sympathize, and help him," Ms. Dong said emotionally, her voice choked with emotion as she recounted the story of her young student.

On the way from home to school (about 5km), she takes the opportunity to collect empty bottles and beer cans to sell later - Photo: THANH HUYEN

To reduce the burden on her bicycle, Do sells the collected plastic bottles to a recycling center near the school - Photo: THANH HUYEN

With the 15,000 dong given to her by the rice vendor, Do will save it to buy rice for the whole family the next day - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Mr. Le Thanh Tam (73 years old, Tan An Tay commune, Ngoc Hien district, Ca Mau province) said that he has three children, Do being the youngest son. In the past, when he was still healthy, he also went fishing in the river to earn money to support his children's education.

"For the past few years, my legs have been weak and I haven't been able to move around much, so my youngest child has to take care of everything at home. My siblings Do have their own families and are also poor, so they can't help much."

"Seeing my child having to go to school while also carrying scraps home to feed the pigs and collecting recyclable materials to earn money for food and water for the family breaks my heart. Now things are so tough, and my child wants to go to school, so I have no choice but to grit my teeth and bear it," Mr. Tam recounted.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to dump the sediment along the road to bring back and feed the pigs - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Exhausted, they rest on the ferry crossing the Cua Lon River with two buckets of sludge and bags of scrap metal - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Having to leave their bicycles behind and traverse hundreds of meters of dirt road with numerous makeshift bridges to get home - Photo: THANH HUYEN

The leftover rice scraps that she brings home are sorted out and cooked to feed the pigs and chickens - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Thanks to diligently carrying leftover rice twice a day, Do's pigs save on feed costs - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Le Huu Do said that his family was struggling financially, and his elderly parents were too old to carry garbage, so he wanted to help them and also collect scrap metal, earning whatever he could.

"Carrying the sediment is heavy, and sometimes when cycling against the wind, I feel like the front wheel is going to tip over, but I'm used to it because I ride regularly."

"My classmates are so kind; when they finish their water bottles, they always come to me for the empty ones. I think that because we're poor, there's nothing to worry about, I'm only afraid that my parents are getting weaker and weaker and I won't be able to go to school anymore," Huu Do shared.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/xuc-dong-hinh-anh-cau-hoc-tro-dat-mui-luom-ve-chai-tren-duong-den-truong-20250305143243346.htm