The street stall of a poor mother in Nghe An who raised 3 children to go to university

A life of hardship

DaytwinsWhen Tran Hung Dai and Tran Hung Dat (born in 2002) left for school, their relatives and many people from Hamlet 2, Thanh Lam Commune (Thanh Chuong) came to see them off. No matter how little or how much, everyone had some money to give to the two children for travel expenses and to cover their first days.

Grandparents and relatives on the father's side came to see Tran Hung Dai and Tran Hung Dat off to school. Photo: Cong Kien

The bus started moving and gradually disappeared behind the mountains. Ms. Tran Thi Van (born in 1978) sobbed: “From now on, the four of us will be in three distant places. I will stay at home, my eldest daughter and my nephew will study in Hanoi, and my nephew will study in Ho Chi Minh City. My life will begin to take a new turn, much more difficult and arduous…”

In 1998, Ms. Van married Mr. Tran Van Huong (born in 1976), the poor couple began to build a happy home. A year later, their love bore fruit when baby Tran Thi Lam Oanh cried out at birth, the small, simple house was filled with the cries and laughter of children.

Representatives of the Hamlet Management Board gave gifts to Dai and Dat before they left for school. Photo: Cong Kien

Mr. Huong sticks to the fields all year round, saving every grain of rice and corn to take care of the family. Ms. Van goes to the market and sells small items during the day, and spends the rest of the time with her husband doing farm work and raising pigs and chickens. In 2002, the family welcomed two new members, twins Hung Dai and Hung Dat were born.

In the countryside, which is famous for its barren and rocky soil, it is not easy for a young couple to work as farmers and raise three children. Seeing the children grow up and become well-behaved, and the house filled with laughter, the couple seems to forget all the hardships and difficulties.

Despite difficult circumstances, Tran Hung Dai and Tran Hung Dat always excel in their studies and achieve many successes. Photo: Cong Kien

But then, in 2008, one night after the harvest, Mr. Huong went to the field to catch fish and frogs to improve the meals for his wife and children, and unfortunately fell. At night, in the middle of the deserted field with no one to help in time, the man died.

Mr. Huong passed away, leaving behind his young wife and three young children who had only learned to eat and study. The small, simple house, with a lower foundation than the road, had not yet been rebuilt, and all the burden fell on Ms. Van's shoulders. The young wife almost collapsed, but thinking of her children, Ms. Van mustered all her strength to get up.

Tran Hung Dai and Tran Hung Dat won many titles during their studies and training. Photo: Cong Kien

After finishing the funeral, she went to the market, alone in the fields without her partner by her side. Her figure became thinner and thinner, her strength gradually depleted, every time they saw her, her relatives and acquaintances always felt sorry for her...

Try to accompany the children

As time passed, the children grew up inpoverty, hardships often make people wise before their age. The same goes for Ms. Van's three children, they always have the awareness to take care of each other, help their mother and make efforts in studying. Every school year, Lam Oanh, Hung Dai and Hung Dat are always at the top of their class, school and achieve the title of excellent students at the district and provincial levels. Working alone and taking care of her children, Ms. Van cannot avoid hardships and sufferings.

Ms. Tran Thi Van with her street stall – the family's main source of income. Photo: Cong Kien

“There were nights when I was so tired, I lay awake, and in the morning I felt like I couldn’t get up, I wanted to rest for a day. But thinking about the food and the children’s studies, I forced myself to get up to feed the chickens and pigs and then prepare to go to the market.”

Ms. Tran Thi Van, Hamlet 2, Thanh Lam Commune (Thanh Chuong)

Three years ago, her eldest daughter Lam Oanh was admitted to the Academy of Finance. Ms. Van was extremely happy but could not help but feel worried when thinking about her daughter's four years of studying in Hanoi. Lam Oanh encouraged her mother to rest assured that after graduating, she would work part-time to earn money to help ease her mother's burden.

True to her promise, after enrolling, Oanh initially worked as a dishwasher at a cheap restaurant, then as a tutor. Now, Oanh is a fourth-year student, and Ms. Van had to borrow 50 million VND from the bank to pay for her daughter's education.

Her husband died early, leaving Ms. Van alone to take care of her livelihood. Photo: Cong Kien

Following in their sister's footsteps, twins Hung Dai - Hung Dat also study well andget high scorein exams and determined to go to university. In their final year of high school, both of them were admitted to the party, becoming shining examples of Dang Thai Mai High School.

During the summer vacations, the two brothers did not have time to study or play, but instead focused on earning money to help their mother. Dai went to work far away as a factory worker, while Dat stayed home to work as a construction worker. Dat said: “I was weaker than Dai, so I stayed home near my mother. During the day, I worked as a construction worker, but at night, my whole body ached, and my mother had to wake up and rub my back all night. Seeing my mother's dark eyes and dry hands, I could not hold back my tears, and we hugged each other and cried.”

Ms. Tran Thi Van and her two sons before leaving for school. Photo: Cong Kien

High School Graduation Exam 2020, Dai scored 27.38 points (block A) and was admitted to Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Also registering for block A, Dat's score was 26.35 points, and he was admitted to Ho Chi Minh City University of Law. Once again, Ms. Van received good news but immediately after that, she was filled with worries about the days ahead.

“I am very worried, because the debt of 50 million VND for Lam Oanh's schooling is still intact, now it is the two younger siblings. But I am somewhat reassured when both Dai and Dat encouraged their mother to be steadfast and find a job, take care of her own education after initially stabilizing. With the love of a mother, I vow to do my best to accompany my children, because they have suffered so many disadvantages and misfortunes,” Ms. Tran Thi Van shared.

“Ms. Tran Thi Van’s family is one of the poor and disadvantaged households in the area, but in return, her children are all studious and good at studying, obedient, and fully comply with policies and regulations. Everyone here admires her diligence, love, and education for her children.”

Mr. Tran Van Giap - Secretary of Party Cell, Hamlet 2, Thanh Lam Commune (Thanh Chuong)