The precarious path to the lecture hall for a Thai female student.

Ten days after the official enrollment date, Xã Thị Hồng Hậu (a 12th-grade student from the Provincial Ethnic Boarding High School) finally arrived at Hanoi University of Pharmacy from Lâm Đồng to complete the procedures. Due to this delay, Hậu had called the university's admissions office a few days prior to request a postponement of her enrollment. Knowing her circumstances, the university facilitated her request and reminded her, "Try your best to attend university; don't give up!"

Thi Hong Hau is a student of the Thai ethnic group, born and raised in Lau village, Thanh Giam commune, Tuong Duong district. Three years ago, with rather modest scores, Hau was fortunate enough to pass the entrance exam.Ethnic Boarding High Schoolprovince. In her early days at school, Hau considered herself a "weak and low-performing" student. In a class with many bright and academically successful students, Hau was always a girl who felt insecure and self-conscious about her family circumstances and academic abilities.

Students from Thi Hong Hau Commune studying at the Provincial Ethnic Boarding High School. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Hau's progress began at the end of 10th grade when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out and she had to study online at home instead of attending school in person. This may sound paradoxical, but Hau has her own reasons for this: In class, many of her classmates were excellent, so she was hesitant to speak up or express herself in front of a crowd for fear of making mistakes. But when studying online, she became more confident in expressing her own opinions.

Gaining confidence, Hậu began to improve her studies starting in 11th grade. To overcome her limitations, she often reviewed and completed assignments beforehand. Therefore, when teachers introduced new material in class, she no longer felt confused. In 12th grade, while many of her classmates purchased online learning packages, Hậu primarily studied with her teachers in class and took advantage of free online classes to learn more because she couldn't afford them. Hậu's hard work and effort paid off when she scored nearly 26 points in the high school graduation exam, and with her bonus points, she had a good chance of being admitted to universities. Hậu also boldly applied to Hanoi University of Pharmacy as her first choice.

The arduous journey to the lecture hall

That was also Hau's dream school for her three years of high school, but instead of being happy, Hau carried the worry of "where will I get the money to pay for university." Knowing her future, in early August, right after receiving her high school graduation exam results, Hau was introduced by a close friend to a job in Hanoi with the promise of "easy work, high salary." Little did she know, it was a trap that almost turned her into a scammer selling multi-level marketing products.

Adding more details, Hau said: "A friend introduced me to a boarding house in Hanoi, where I was asked to pay 300,000 VND as a deposit for the job. There, many people worked under the direction of an older woman. When she met me, she even said, 'Don't go to university because even after graduation you'll only be working for someone else. But if you follow me, you'll become the boss…'"

Ms. Thi Hong Hau has enrolled at Hanoi University of Pharmacy. Photo: Van Anh

It sounded appealing, but seeing the boarding house and the people working there, Hau became suspicious of the company. After searching online, she immediately read that it was a multi-level marketing scam. Fearing that many others might be in the same situation, Hau shared the information with her friends to warn them. Unexpectedly, her close friend also read the information and took a screenshot to send to others in the boarding house… From then on, Hau was closely monitored by the head of the company and her phone usage was restricted. During this difficult time, Hau still managed to contact her family, and her sister from Lam Dong came to pick her up. She couldn't get back the deposit she paid to get the job.

Having been scammed the very first time she arrived in Hanoi, Hau became even more discouraged about her future. Following her older sister to Lam Dong, Hau again received advice against going to university because they couldn't afford it. Knowing her sister's difficult family circumstances (her sister worked as a laborer), Hau followed her to work at a farm in Lam Dong. Later, she worked at a restaurant, earning about 200,000 dong a day.

When Hau arrived in Lam Dong, universities were beginning to announce their results, and she learned that she had passed the entrance exam to Hanoi University of Pharmacy. She was both happy and worried. Every day, she continued working odd jobs to reassure her family. But at night, her desire to go to school burned within her. Amidst her overwhelming anxieties, she bravely messaged Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Hoa, the principal of the Provincial Ethnic Boarding High School, explaining her situation and expressing her wish to attend university, asking for her teachers' help.

Xã Thị Hồng Hậu has enrolled at Hanoi University of Pharmacy, but she faces many difficulties.

Upon receiving messages from Hau and many other students, teacher Kieu Hoa felt a mix of emotions. She felt sorry for her students but also didn't know where to find the money to provide them with the large sum needed for university. However, during their difficult times, she regularly sent encouraging messages to Hau, reassuring her and urging her to prepare for university. Simultaneously, she contacted benefactors and asked local authorities to visit Hau's home in Tuong Duong to persuade her parents to let her go to university. Hau herself, knowing that attending university was extremely difficult, never blamed her parents. She understood that her family was poor, living in a thatched hut, barely having enough to eat, let alone the money to send her to study in Hanoi. Hau's two older sisters, also due to poverty, had to leave their hometown to work in the South, leading extremely hard lives.

Out of concern and compassion for her young student, teacher Kieu Hoa and her friends have been trying to persuade Hau to enroll in school. Meanwhile, Hau has yet to pay the remaining 7 million VND and has asked the school to allow her to pay later. Not to mention the worries that lie ahead for Hau, with many expenses for books, living costs, and other high-priced items. Recently, through the Artisans group and the connections of some philanthropists, Hau has received some assistance with tuition and other expenses. However, given her current circumstances, the road ahead remains very difficult…

After enduring the initial hardships and receiving so much love during her first days of university, Hau resolved to study hard and not let down her teachers, family, and those who had helped her. She also plans to work part-time, constantly strive to excel in her studies, and aim for scholarships to alleviate some of her expenses… Her journey to university has officially begun, but the challenges ahead are far from over.