Touching image of a student from Dat Mui collecting scrap metal on his way to school

A young student in Ngoc Hien district rides his bike through Nam Can district, Ca Mau province to go to school. His bike is always full of scrap metal, waste bins, etc. His image has touched the hearts of many people with his determination to learn.

Even though he has to carry the dregs (bring them home to feed the pigs) and collect scrap metal along the way, Do is not self-conscious or inferior - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Le Huu Do, a student of class 11B2 at Phan Ngoc Hien High School in Nam Can District, Ca Mau Province, goes to school by bicycle every day. His house is about 5km from the school, so on the way to school, he takes the opportunity to bring 8 boxes to store leftover rice from people's houses along the road.

After school, on the way home, he stopped by to empty the bins of rice residue to feed the pigs and chickens. Besides collecting rice residue, Do also collected bottles, cans, and cardboard boxes to sell to earn money for school.

Do's bicycle is different from other bicycles in the school because it has to carry a lot of scrap and "tools" to contain residue - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Ms. Le Thi Cam Van, the homeroom teacher, said that every day when Do goes to school, he brings his "tools" to collect rice water that people throw away to feed the pigs. In addition, he also collects plastic bottles to sell to earn money for school.

"Since learning about her pitiful situation, her schoolmates have been collecting discarded plastic bottles for Do to sell.

"He does not feel inferior or self-conscious about his poverty, but works hard and studies hard. My teachers and I often show Do's diligence and hard work to our students so that they can sympathize and strive to excel in all circumstances," said Ms. Van.

Knowing Do's difficult circumstances, after school, his classmates collected used plastic bottles for Do to sell to get money for school - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Pick up some discarded water bottles on campus - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Previously, in October 2024, Ms. Tran Thi Dong (teacher at Phan Ngoc Hien High School) saw a "strange" bicycle parked on the school grounds. She investigated and posted on Tiktok a scene of the school's students having to ride bicycles to carry dregs and collect scrap metal to earn money.

"I'm not trying to attract views, but I see that he has extraordinary determination, similar to me when I was young, having to sell and go to school at the same time. I want to share his story so that everyone can know, sympathize, and help him," Ms. Dong was moved and choked up as she recounted the story of her young student.

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

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

With the 15,000 VND paid by the warehouse owner, 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 his family has 3 children, Do is the youngest son. Before, when he was still healthy, he also went fishing in the river to earn money to pay for his children's education.

"For the past few years, my legs have been sick and weak, so I can't move around much. All the housework has been done by my youngest child. Do and his wife have their own families, and are both poor, so they can't help much.

Seeing my child having to go to school and also have to carry the dregs home to raise pigs and collect scrap metal to earn money to feed the family, I feel sorry for him. Now it's too hard, and my child wants to go to school so I have to grit my teeth and endure it," Mr. Tam said.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to dump residue along the road to bring home to feed pigs - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Tired of sitting down to rest on the ferry across Cua Lon River with two buckets of dregs and bags of scrap - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Had to abandon the bike and travel hundreds of meters of dirt road with many "monkey bridges" to get home - Photo: THANH HUYEN

The rice residue I brought home was selected and cooked to feed the pigs and chickens - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Thanks to diligently carrying out rice residue twice a day, Do saves money on feed for the pigs he raises - Photo: THANH HUYEN

Le Huu Do said his family's situation is difficult, his parents are old and can't carry scrap metal, so he wants to help his parents by collecting scrap metal, every penny he can get is a blessing.

"Carrying dirt is also heavy, cycling against the wind sometimes makes me want to lift the bike off the ground, but I get used to it after riding it so often.

My classmates are very nice. When they finish drinking water and have any empty bottles left, they come to me to give them to me. I think I'm poor so there's nothing to worry about. I'm just afraid that my parents will get 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