I only temporarily receive part of my mother's disability allowance.

Performed by: HA DONG - NHA CHAN - DIEM HUONG - TON VU

In a damp, cramped level 4 house hidden under a row of green trees in village 12, Xuan Binh commune, mountainous district of Nhu Xuan ( Thanh Hoa ), Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van, 60 years old - mother of Vo Thi Thanh An - tells the story of her late happiness when giving birth to a daughter at an old age and the many difficulties in life.

Mother's rubber tapping job is unstable, there are days when her child goes to school hungry

Vo Thi Thanh An always determined that only education can escape poverty - Photo: HA DONG

In a damp, cramped house hidden under a row of trees in the village, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van said that her husband was old and had to be treated for many years because of illness. In 2006, Mrs. Van gave birth to An at the age of 42, with many difficulties.

After Bai Tranh Tea Farm was dissolved, Mrs. Van retired from the disability regime, and together with her husband and daughter, moved to Xuan Binh commune with 7 meters of rice fields for one crop, provided by the commune People's Committee. Lacking agricultural land, in order to have money to raise her children and send them to school, over the years, Mrs. Van's livelihood has been tapping rubber trees for hire.

From 3-4am every day, when everyone is still asleep, Mrs. Van carries her tools into the local rubber forest to tap latex for hire. Mosquitoes bite her feet, the cold fog seeps into her body, and her knees ache, but thinking that she has to work hard to earn money to send An to school, Mrs. Van tries her best to tap more trees.

Ms. Van said: "For many years now, the price of rubber latex has been low, and every day, I earn only 60,000 - 80,000 VND for rubber tapping. An's father got sick and passed away in 2023, leaving behind many difficulties for the mother and son. Every time I have money from work, before going to tap rubber latex, I also prepare a thermos of boiling water and a pack of instant noodles for An to eat for breakfast. During economic difficulties, An goes to school hungry."

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van advised her daughter before An entered university.

Sharing about the journey ahead to take care of her daughter's university education, Mrs. Van, although she had planned to use her State disability allowance to help An cover her living expenses in Vinh city, still felt worried.

Ms. Van had to borrow 11 million VND for An to pay tuition at the beginning of the school year from relatives. She still has not been able to pay back the 30 million VND she owed to take care of her husband when he was old and weak, and her daughter who was in her final year of high school. About to turn 60, Ms. Van has liver disease, high blood pressure, and bone and joint problems that have caused her health to decline, her skin to turn yellow, but she still tries to work as a rubber tapper to earn money for An to go to university.

"It is an honor for my daughter to get into university. I will give her an allowance to cover her studies in Vinh city. As long as I have some health, I will continue to work as a rubber tapper, work on the fields, and raise chickens to earn more income."

Mom help me at first then I will do more

Although her family was poor, Vo Thi Thanh An always had the determination to succeed in life and study.

"I only receive a part of my disability allowance from my mother. The rest is for you to spend when you are sick, ill, and to recuperate. After I finish school, I will apply for a part-time job in Vinh city to earn money to pay for my university studies," An told his mother.

When his father passed away, An was entering 12th grade. The pain of losing his father combined with the worry that the education journey ahead would be costly almost made An collapse.

In her spare time at school, Vo Thi Thanh An takes care of chickens and sells them to buy books and school supplies.

An tried hard to study with the determination to escape poverty and passed the entrance exam to the Faculty of Information Technology, Vinh University with 25.2 points (9 points in math, 8.4 points in chemistry, 7.8 points in physics), a worthy achievement for a female student from the mountainous region who overcame poverty and reached the horizon of knowledge.

Vo Thi Thanh An takes care of her family's chickens, preparing to sell them to get money for An to go to university.

Talking to Tuoi Tre , Mr. Nguyen Van Duong - Party Secretary of Xuan Binh Commune, Nhu Xuan District said: "Vo Thi Thanh An was born in difficult circumstances, her family is considered a near-poor household in the commune, but she always tries to study, cultivate and practice well.

An is an active member of the Youth Union, participates in local social work and is an outstanding citizen of village 12, Xuan Binh commune. Last August, Vo Thi Thanh An was admitted to the Party. This is an honor and motivation for An to continue to strive and train in university and life."

Vo Thi Thanh An lights incense at her father's altar before entering university.

Sharing about the school's petite, quiet student, teacher Le Ba Long - principal of Nhu Xuan 2 High School - confided: "From the time she entered grade 10A until she finished grade 12A, Vo Thi Thanh An always tried to overcome difficult circumstances to study well.

Over the years, there have been sponsors who have come to give scholarships to students, and the school has given them all to An. The school has waived tuition and parking fees for An so that he can study with peace of mind and strive on the path to knowledge.

At the end of the conversation with us, An was guided by the sisters from the Xuan Binh Commune Youth Union and Nhu Xuan District Youth Union to register online to apply for the "Support to School 2024" scholarship of Tuoi Tre newspaper.

"Although there are many difficulties ahead, I will not give up and always remember my father's last words, and my mother's words of encouragement before entering school: only through education and knowledge can I escape poverty." - Vo Thi Thanh An confided.

We invite you to join us in School Support.

Tuoi Tre newspaper's 2024 School Support Program launched on August 8, expected to award 1,100 scholarships with a total cost of more than 20 billion VND (15 million VND for new students with difficulties, 20 special scholarships worth 50 million VND/scholarship for 4 years of study and learning equipment, gifts...).

With the motto "No young person can go to university due to poverty", "If new students encounter difficulties, Tuoi Tre is there" - as a commitment to support new students in the past 20 years of Tuoi Tre . The scholarship registration program ended on September 20, 2024.

The program received contributions and support from the "Accompanying Farmers" Fund - Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, Vinacam Education Promotion Fund - Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company and the clubs "Nghia Tinh Quang Tri", "Nghia Tinh Phu Yen"; the clubs "Supporting School" Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam - Da Nang, Tien Giang - Ben Tre, Quang Ngai and the Tien Giang - Ben Tre Business Association in Ho Chi Minh City, the German - Vietnamese Mutual Assistance and Cooperation Association (VSW), Nam Long Company, Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd. ... along with businesses, philanthropists and a large number of readers of Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Businesses and readers can support scholarships for new students by transferring to Tuoi Tre newspaper account:

113000006100 VietinBank, Branch 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

Content: Support "Support to school" for new students or specify the province/city that you want to support.

Readers and businesses abroad can transfer money to Tuoi Tre newspaper:

USD account 007.137.0195.845 Ho Chi Minh City Foreign Trade Bank;

EUR account 007.114.0373.054 Foreign Trade Bank, Ho Chi Minh City

with Swift code BFTVVNVX007.

Content: Support "Support to school" for new students or specify the province/city that you want to support.

In addition to funding scholarships, readers can support learning equipment, accommodation, jobs... for new students.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/con-chi-tam-nhan-mot-phan-tro-cap-mat-suc-cua-me-thoi-20240922080602883.htm