New school year for poor students in the highlands

(Baonghean) - Having to endure many disadvantages due to poverty and unfortunate fate, children in the remote areas of Tuong Duong still have the joy of going to school, even though it is not complete...

The burden of a mother

We stopped at Na Tong village, Tam Thai commune (Tuong Duong), to visit the family of Le Thi Phuong Uy (born 2004), an 8th grade student. The house is about 30 square meters in the middle of the village, built with State funding through the 167 program (eliminating makeshift thatched houses). Phuong Uy is 13 years old but her body is as small as an 8 year old, her skin is pale and weak, she has to herd cows every day to help her mother.

That day, Mr. Le Ngoc Thong (Phuong Uy's father) was returning to his hometown in Quynh Luu for medical treatment, Ms. Cao Thi Nhung (Mr. Thong's wife) was going to the forest to collect firewood. Uy said: "There are three sisters in the family, the first sister is studying Preschool Education in Hanoi, the second sister just graduated from high school and also wants to study Education. Father is sick all year round, can't do anything, all the work falls on mother's shoulders."

Le Thi Phuong Uy's joy when receiving a new set of books. Photo: Cong Kien

A moment later, Ms. Nhung stepped into the gate with a heavy load of firewood on her shoulder. With a thin figure and tired eyes, she said in a breathless voice: “In the morning I go to work in the fields, and around noon I go to the forest to collect firewood to sell to have money for daily expenses. I have to shoulder the burden of raising 3 children to study, and then medicine for my husband, sometimes I think I don’t have enough strength...”.

Ms. Nhung loves her children very much, especially her youngest daughter Phuong Uy, because since birth she has been lacking food and is very thin. This school year Uy is in 8th grade, her friends in the village have had their books, bags, and clothes bought by their parents, Uy only has a set of textbooks that a cousin just sent her.

These past few days, Ms. Nhung has been trying to get more firewood to sell to buy her child new clothes. Seeing her mother's hard work, Uy encouraged her: "It's enough that you have new books, you can wait until Tet for new clothes." Despite her difficult family circumstances and lack of life, Phuong Uy studies very hard, and every year she receives a certificate of merit.

Ms. Cao Thi Nhung with her daughter and grandchildren she is taking care of. Photo: Cong Kien

In addition to the family members, Ms. Nhung's small house is also a place to take care of three young grandchildren of her two younger sisters. They are Kha Thi Linh Dan (born in 2004) - daughter of Ms. Cao Thi Than, whose family circumstances are difficult, her parents have to work far away to earn a living. They are Cao Bao Tran (born in 2009) and Cao Viet Trung (born in 2013) - children of Ms. Cao Thi Ty - a single mother, currently working as a worker in Bac Ninh.

This new school year, Linh Dan is in 8th grade, Bao Tran is in 3rd grade and Viet Trung is in kindergarten. The monthly allowance is there, the monthly allowance is not, the burden of expenses falls on Cao Thi Nhung's shoulders. She is already sweating over food and clothing every day, and she also worries about the children's education. She shared: "I just texted their mother to send money to buy books and clothes for the new school year. If I don't have any, I have to worry about it, because my grandchildren are like my children..."

The less fortunate children

From Na Tong, we went up to Tan Hop, following a path to the top of the mountain - where the house of Le Quoc Khanh's family (born in 2004) is located. Khanh was alone at home, sitting by the stove, making some pickled bamboo shoots. His parents went to the fields early in the morning, and his older sister, who had just graduated from high school, went to Hanoi to find a job.

Khanh’s family house has a cement roof, bamboo walls, and the floor is still made of dirt. Hunger and poverty are everywhere. Khanh said that his parents work very hard, working on the fields all year round. The distance from home to the fields is more than 10 kilometers, so they have to leave before sunrise and return long after the sun has set.

Le Quoc Khanh took advantage of the opportunity to make and sell pickled bamboo shoots to earn money to buy books. Photo: Cong Kien

Looking around the house, there was absolutely no new book or notebook to be seen. When asked, Khanh's eyes suddenly filled with tears: "The other day, Dad bought me a new pen, but no books or notebooks yet. These past few days, Mom took advantage of the time to pickle bamboo shoots to sell. Mom said that was the money to buy my books and notebooks."

Having said that, Khanh asked permission to go to the kitchen to continue making some pickled bamboo shoots. There, this 8th grade boy expressed his wishes and hopes to go to school, to have new books to accompany his friends on the path of seeking knowledge and the future.

Turning to Canh Trap village, we visited little girl La Thi My Tam (born in 2005). Her father had a drowning accident and passed away when My Tam was just 3 years old, her younger sister La Thi Phuong Thao was only 1 year old at that time. Her father passed away, leaving her mother with 2 young children, no stable job, the burden of making a living forced her to leave her hometown to find a way to make a living.

So, for nearly 7 years now, My Tam and Phuong Thao’s meals and sleep have been taken care of by their grandparents. Their education, from the first lessons and their first writings, has been tutored by their grandparents. Now their grandparents are both over 60 years old, but every day they still have to climb hills and hoe the fields to find rice and corn to feed their grandchildren.

La Thi My Tam participates in a performance to celebrate the opening ceremony of the new school year. Photo: Cong Kien

Occasionally, the mother sends a little money to the grandparents to take care of the children's food and education. My Tam said: "This year I am in 7th grade, my sister is in 5th grade, recently my grandfather went to buy new books for us. My mother also sent money to ask my grandparents to buy new clothes, so we will have everything to go to school."

My Tam has a talent for singing and dancing, and was chosen by her teachers to join the school's performing arts team. These past few days, Tam has asked her grandparents for permission to skip the weeding in the fields and instead come to school to practice performing arts in preparation for the new school year. The songs and dances she is practicing exude confidence, yet remain innocent and full of life.

Each child has a different situation but they all share the same deprivation and disadvantage. With the love and responsibility of their parents, grandparents, relatives and the tolerance of their teachers, we believe that they will overcome the obstacles and be filled with joy on the first day of school.

Cong Kien