The journey of a poor Khơ Mú female student to becoming the top student in Literature in Nghe An province.
(Baonghean.vn) - With parents working as laborers, the two siblings rely on each other to survive. To earn money for food and education, Moong Thi Thom has to work as a babysitter, but her passion for Literature never fades. The sweet reward came when she won first place in Literature in the recent 9th grade provincial-level excellent student competition.
Even after five days, the joy and surprise haven't faded from the faces of the teachers and students at Ky Son Ethnic Boarding Junior High School. Throughout the schoolyard, groups of students still gather around Moong Thi Thom, a 9th-grade student, to congratulate her on achieving the top score in Literature in the recent provincial-level 9th-grade student excellence competition. The radiant face of this Khơ Mú girl makes the teachers even more proud, especially knowing what Thom has gone through and her journey to achieve this success.
When we spoke to her, Moong Thi Thom seemed more shy. Thom recounted that she was born into a poor family in Vang Phao village, Muong Tip border commune. Her father, Moong Van Phieu, and her mother, Hoa Thi Phai, toiled year-round in the fields to raise their two children and provide them with an education. Thom said that in previous years, the whole family of four lived in a dilapidated house. At that time, she only wished she had a sturdy house to live in, so that every time it rained, she wouldn't have to run from one corner to another to avoid the leaks.
Living off farming, struggling to make ends meet, and unable to provide for their children's education, in 2021, Mr. and Mrs. Moong Van Phieu had no choice but to leave their two children behind in their hometown and travel south to work for companies. The years Thom was in 7th and 8th grade were also the two years their parents were away for extended periods. The lives of the two siblings, already difficult materially, were further deprived of the love and care of their parents.
“I miss my parents so much. My siblings at home are working so hard that sometimes I think I might have to stop studying. But after thinking it over, if I drop out, the most disappointed people would be my parents, my older brother, and the teachers who have loved me. I'm afraid of hurting everyone, so I have to keep trying harder,” Moong Thi Thom shared.
Watching her older brother, who had just finished 12th grade, work tirelessly every day doing housework and farming to support her, Moong Thi Thom often shed tears at night. During her days off, Thom would rush home, more than 30km from her school, to help her brother. To earn money, Thom discussed with her brother that they would work odd jobs during the summer, doing whatever work was available, as long as it made life less difficult for the two siblings.
“At first, my brother disagreed because he was afraid that I would work too hard and forget about my studies. But after I convinced him that I would only do light work like babysitting, helping in the kitchen, and washing dishes, he reluctantly agreed,” Thơm said.
Then, during the summer of her eighth grade year, Thơm inquired everywhere in the district, from restaurants and eateries to families needing to hire people, to find work. Luckily, someone introduced her to a babysitting job with a monthly salary of 1 million dong. Thơm said that even though it was only 1 million dong, the employer promised to provide food and drink, so she immediately agreed, because at least it would ease the burden on her poor family.
On her first day in Muong Xen town to work, the poor Khmu girl's belongings consisted of only a few sets of clothes and a bag full of books. Thom said that the homeowners liked her because she was studious and polite, and they provided her with every opportunity to study and read more during her free time.
“During the day, I babysit for them, and at night I take out my books to study. The more I study, the more I realize how many gaps I have, so even during the summer, I borrow the landlord's phone to ask the teacher for extra guidance. Thanks to that, after two months, I've been able to acquire a lot of new knowledge,” the poor student confided.
Moong Thi Thom also said that she has been passionate about Literature since she was a primary school student. When she entered junior high school, studying in a boarding school environment and being guided by teacher Le Thi Thanh Huong, her passion grew even stronger. And from grade 6 until now, she has consistently won the title of outstanding student at the district level in this subject.
For Moong Thi Thom, studying Literature has made her feel more confident and motivated to overcome her circumstances. “Literature has enriched my soul; I feel even more love for my village and the people around me. My dream is to become a Literature teacher to bring knowledge to the children in my hometown, contributing in a small way to changing the perceptions and ways of thinking of the ethnic minorities in Ky Son,” Thom shared.
Speaking about her impoverished student Moong Thi Thom, teacher Le Thi Thanh Huong – a teacher at Ky Son Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, who directly mentored her – shared: "Thom comes from a very difficult family background, but her willpower and determination are worthy of emulation. Every day, in addition to her classes, Thom goes to the library to borrow books to read."
“I also regularly monitor and encourage her to keep trying. Many days, seeing her struggling, I have to buy extra food and drinks to nourish her. Achieving what she has today is the result of a long and tireless journey for both teacher and student, but the most important thing is her own perseverance,” said teacher Le Thi Thanh Huong.
