Nurturing university dreams in a makeshift house

(DN) - Entering the new school year, while his peers are happily wearing clean clothes, new school bags and school supplies, Do Quang Bien, a 12A5 student at Loc Ninh High School (Loc Ninh commune), still has his old clothes, textbooks and school supplies that were asked for back.

All summer, I worked hard to earn some money to cover the expenses at the beginning of the year. However, that small amount of money is nothing compared to the mandatory expenses. Before me is a difficult learning journey, which can be interrupted at any time.

In a temporary house on the land of a rubber plantation, the three members of Bien's family still hope that he will study well to have a brighter future. Photo: Thu Hien

Surrounded by poverty

In a makeshift house, borrowed from Farm 2 (Loc Ninh Rubber Company Limited), after selling a package of noodles to workers after work, Ms. Nguyen Thi Qua, Bien's mother, told the story of her life.

More than 18 years ago, she and Mr. Do Van Bay got married when they were over 40 years old. Soon after, the couple left their hometown of Hai Duong, carrying the hope of going to Tan Tien (formerly Binh Phuoc province) to start a business as rubber tappers. “Both families are poor. My husband and I both had a wasted youth because we were busy working for hire. Getting married late, at the age of 43, we only dared to have one child, hoping to take care of him and give him a good education, not to suffer the same illiteracy as our parents,” Mrs. Qua shared, choking with emotion.

Thanks to their hard work, Mrs. Qua and her husband saved more than 100 million VND to support their son's dream of studying. However, in 2021, that money was borrowed by an acquaintance and then disappeared without a trace. Since then, the family has been left penniless.

3 years ago, Mrs. Qua discovered she had heart disease and a hepatic aneurysm. With no money for re-examination and treatment, her health gradually deteriorated, so she had to quit her job as a factory worker and return home to sell a few packages of noodles and bottles of water to workers after work. The burden fell on Mr. Bay's shoulders again. But at the age of 60, he could no longer continue the hard work, and only had enough strength to guard the rubber hut at Farm 2. The work started at 3am and lasted until late afternoon, but the income was only over 4 million VND/month, too little to support a family amidst all the chaos.

Dreams still incubate

Feeling sorry for his parents’ hard work, Bien got used to helping his family from a young age. When his peers were still playing around, he followed his father to the rubber plantation, followed his mother to work as a construction worker, weeder, porter, etc. He always kept the small wages he earned carefully, saving them to buy books or help with family meals. Bien shared: “It was during those difficult times that I understood that only through education could I have a different future, and my family could escape the constant hardship.”

After school, Bien does chores to help his parents. Photo: Thu Hien

For 11 consecutive years, Bien has maintained the title of good and excellent student. She is nurturing the dream of entering Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, majoring in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. However, the cost of university education is too much of a burden for Bien's family at this time.

“I am past the working age, and my job as a rubber hut guard is about to be handed over. The small tea shop and makeshift house that my family is living in on the farm are also being reclaimed. How can I support my child’s dream of going to university now?” - Mr. Do Van Bay choked up.

Faced with such uncertainties, Bien often pondered and thought about putting aside his dream of studying to go to work and take care of his family early. “I have nurtured this dream day by day, month by month… If I have to give it up now, I will be very sad. I feel small and helpless, as if I have been left behind, while my peers are freely flying high in the sky of knowledge” - Bien sadly confided.

☎ Please send all donations to:

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

+ Or phone number: 0911.21.21.26 (Editor Thu Hien).

+ Receiving account: 197073599999 - Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, VietinBank. Please clearly state in the transfer content: Support Do Quang Bien

The 122nd "Wings of Dreams" Scholarship Connection Program will take place at: 9:00 a.m. on September 19, 2025 (Friday), at Loc Ninh High School, Loc Ninh commune, Dong Nai province.

Thu Hien

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202509/uom-mam-uoc-mo-dai-hoc-giua-can-nha-tam-bo-b840c06/