Orphaned at a young age, he overcame difficulties and excelled in his studies.

(Baonghean)Having lost both her father and mother and living in overwhelming hardship, Sam Thi An, a 4th-grade student at Chau Binh Primary School (Quy Chau district), still overcomes all difficulties and achieves high academic results...

Introduced by Mr. Sam Minh Phiet, Secretary of the Party Committee of Chau Binh commune, we visited the home of Sam Thi An in Nong Trang village (Chau Binh commune). In the empty house, we listened to the sad story of An's family as recounted by Mr. Sam Van Xuan (An's grandfather). An's father died from complications of a fever. Five months later, due to terminal cancer, An's mother also passed away. That was the ultimate misfortune of An's childhood!



After her parents passed away, An's grandfather took her in. He is 83 years old, lives alone, and suffers from chronic illness. Growing up alone, An had to work hard, doing everything from growing vegetables to farming to help her grandfather and focus on her studies. Thanks to the dedicated support of her teachers and her own diligent studies, An consistently achieved the title of excellent student for four years (2008-2012). She won high prizes in competitions such as "Folk Song Singing in the School," "Our Vietnamese Language," "Good Student," "Clean Notebooks and Beautiful Handwriting," and "Mathematics for Children" organized by the school. Speaking about An, her homeroom teacher, Pham Thi Thuy, said: "Compared to her classmates, An doesn't have many advantages. What's commendable is that she excels in all subjects, is very active in extracurricular activities, and always cares for her friends – she's a role model for all students in the school."

When asked about her future dreams, An choked up and said, "I have a dream, but it will forever remain an unattainable dream. It's to have a warm home with both a father and a mother. Right now, I just hope to have the means to continue my studies. I will try my best to study hard so that I can become a doctor and treat people." As I said goodbye to this small but determined student, I secretly hoped that kind-hearted people and readers near and far would extend a helping hand so that Sam Thi An could soon realize her dream!

Tran Ngoc Lan