Burning desire for exam season

(Baonghean) - While most students are taken care of from meals to sleep, we cannot help but feel sad at the deprivation and admire the will to succeed of the students in the highlands of Nghe An.

The midday sun was like fire pouring down on Nong Trang village, Chau Binh commune (Quy Chau), but Cao Thi Mai Hien (born in 1999) still took the opportunity to light a fire to cook pig feed for her sister-in-law, then packed her books, clothes and food to go to her rented room in town to study for the exam. The road from home to school is nearly 25 kilometers, Hien quietly cycled the long journey, carrying with her the dream of going to university.

Last school year, Hien was a student in class 12D, Quy Chau Ethnic Minority High School, ranked as an excellent student with the highest score in the class. But few people know that this pretty, cute and studious student had to endure many misfortunes in life, lacking the love of her father and the care of her mother.

Cao Thi Mai Hien enthusiastically speaks during a review session in class. Photo: Nga Nga

Born into a family of 3 siblings, Hien was the youngest, before Hien were 2 older brothers. Although family life was not rich, it was peaceful and happy, but then when Hien was 3 years old, her father suddenly passed away, leaving a void in the small house, the burden of making a living weighed on the mother's shoulders. At that time, Hien was too young to fully understand the losses and the difficulties of life that awaited her.

Her father passed away 10 years ago, and her mother remarried. Her mother's second husband was from Hung Yen. Since then, Hien has lived with her eldest brother and his wife, and their life has been extremely difficult. Because her eldest brother's family has three children of school age, their main source of income comes from a few acres of fertile land, rice fields, and raising chickens and ducks. However, her eldest brother still tries his best to take care of her two younger siblings' education. Currently, Hien's second brother is a senior at Thai Binh University of Medicine.

Like her second brother, since entering first grade, aware of her misfortune and disadvantage, little Cao Thi Mai Hien has always been diligent and made efforts in her studies. The results of 12 consecutive years of being recognized as an excellent student and winning many awards in exams say it all. In the house of her eldest brother and his wife, the walls are covered with certificates of merit and Hien's certificates, and every guest who enters is amazed and admired.

Cao Thi Mai Hien's collection of certificates and awards for excellent students. Photo: Nga Nga

In high school, Hien had to move to Tan Lac Town to live and study, and she was almost self-sufficient, and she did not let her family down. The unfortunate female student always received attention from the community, the District Women's Union and received the Vu A Dinh Scholarship. Currently, Hien is focusing on studying to reach the goal of being a lecturer at the Academy of Finance (Hanoi).

Mr. Le Van Duyen - Hien's homeroom teacher said: "Despite her special circumstances, Hien always strives to be at the top of her class. She is a promising student. I believe she will achieve her dream."

From Quy Chau, we went to Tuong Duong district - the place known as "Fire Pan of Indochina" to meet Luong Van Mau (born in 1998), a student who goes to school by... hand. Nearly 5 years ago, Mau was an 8th grade student, one of the main characters of the report "Children at the foot of Pu Lom mountain" published in Nghe An Newspaper.

This student has a very special situation, born and raised in Minh Phuong village, Luong Minh commune (Tuong Duong) - a place once known as "the white land" because of the devastation caused by drug abuse. Mau's parents were both in prison for drug trafficking and illegal possession, and his siblings lived on the care of their grandmother who was over 60 years old. In addition, since birth, his legs were cramped and stuck to his stomach, and he had to endure the misfortune of being disabled.

Luong Van Mau focuses on reviewing his lessons to prepare for the entrance exam. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Growing up, he had to move with his hands, his hands helping him do everything, including changing his feet to go to school. With his hands supporting him, dragging his legs, and a crooked body, Luong Van Mau still managed to go through 9 years of studying at Luong Minh Primary School, then Luong Minh Secondary School. Now, he has finished grade 12 and is preparing for the upcoming entrance exam.

During his 3 years studying at Tuong Duong 1 High School, Luong Van Mau was always admired by teachers and friends for his spirit of overcoming difficulties and striving to succeed. His house was more than 20km from school, he had to rent a room in Hoa Binh Town, at first he took care of everything from living, cooking and studying by himself. In Mau's final year of high school, his uncle's sister entered 10th grade to live with him, helping him cook and do laundry so he could have more time for studying.

Grandmother is nearly 70 years old, no longer strong enough to go to the fields to grow rice, cut corn to earn money for her disabled grandchild's education. Every month, Mau spends a frugal amount of more than 1 million VND (including the scholarship fund and allowances for the disabled). That amount is spent on: renting a room, buying books, clothes, rice, food and other living expenses.

Luong Van Mau helps his grandmother with housework. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Mau was ranked as good in his final year of high school, and now he is diligently reviewing his knowledge to wait for the entrance exam. Luong Van Mau shared: “With limited physical strength and difficult family circumstances, I did not dare to dream of going to university, only registered to take the entrance exam for the Civil Electricity major at the Vietnam - Germany Technical Vocational College. Hopefully after graduating, I will have a job to support myself and help my elderly and weak grandmother.”

The early days of June in Western Nghe An are as hot as fire, the harshness of summer cannot stop the determination of students before the exam season. On the contrary, that sunlight is contributing to burning the aspirations of unfortunate and disabled children on the journey to build the future...

Kien - Nga - Tuan