Orphaned female student looking for a place to worship her mother

We met Luong Thi Quynh Nhu (born in 2002) in Xop Nam village, Tam Hop commune (Tuong Duong) when she had just returned from Tuong Duong 1 High School to burn incense for her mother. On the altar placed outside the porch, smoke was billowing, Quynh Nhu's eyes were red, filled with grief for her mother who had just had an accident in Laos more than a month ago.

Quynh Nhu is currently living with and worshiping her mother in her uncle's house. Photo: Dao Tho

Quynh Nhu suppressed her pain and recounted: I was born without knowing my father. Even when my mother passed away, her father's identity was not revealed by her mother. In this poor village in the border area, everyone knew that Nhu was a child without a father. Growing up with so much sadness when her friends of the same age all had a warm home surrounded by the loving arms of their parents.

Then Nhu's mother, Mrs. Luong Thi Huong (born in 1972) was married to Mr. Vi Quang Dau in Tam Thai commune. The miserable life seemed to have passed, but a few years later, Mr. Dau became seriously ill and died. At that time, Quynh Nhu was only 8 years old. The house located on the edge of Cha Lap stream of Nhu and her mother was in the area of ​​a hydroelectric project that had to be relocated. The compensation money kept pouring in every time Mr. Dau was hospitalized.

Her husband passed away, and the mother reluctantly left her children in her hometown and went to Laos to seek a living. A logging company hired her to cook and serve them with a salary of 5 million VND/month. In a foreign land, Mrs. Huong was comforted by Quynh Nhu who always tried to study well. In middle school, Nhu was one of the few students in this border commune who passed the entrance exam to Tuong Duong Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities. The school provided her with a scholarship and food and accommodation, so the burden on her mother's shoulders was somewhat lightened. Not in vain for her mother's efforts, Nhu was an excellent student of the school every year.

In her 10th grade year at Tuong Duong 1 High School, Quynh Nhu was one of the few students honored to participate in the Nghe An Provincial Phu Dong Sports Festival in pole pushing.

Although her family is poor and she is far from her mother, Quynh Nhu is a role model in studying. Photo: Dao Tho

Talking about her mother, Quynh Nhu sobbed: "That day was the 25th of Tet, our school was closed but my mother called and told me to wait in town for her, that afternoon she would go buy some things and then we would go home together tomorrow. But that afternoon, my mother had an accident and passed away in Laos" - that was the last call between the two of us.

The body of Mrs. Luong Thi Huong was brought back to Xop Nam village in the days before Tet. The villagers took pity on her and built a temporary hut on the old ground by Cha Lap stream to take care of the funeral. Everyone mourned the unfortunate woman and felt sorry for her daughter who was still in school.

The portrait of Ms. Luong Thi Huong was placed at a relative's house. Photo: Dao Tho

Unable to miss out on her studies, after mourning her mother, Quynh Nhu packed her bags and went to town to study. The landlord sympathized with her situation and waived her rent. However, when her mother's funeral was over, the old hut was demolished. A relative, Mr. Luong Van Khoa, temporarily brought Mrs. Huong's portrait home for convenience in worship.

Every week, without a vehicle to go back and forth, Nhu asks a friend to take her home to burn incense for her mother. With no place to stay, every time she returns, she stays at Khoa's house. "My biggest wish right now is to have a stable place to worship my mother. Now, it's inconvenient to set up an altar at someone else's house," Quynh Nhu looked up at her mother's portrait with sorrow.

Every time she returns home, Quynh Nhu both worships her mother and helps with housework for Luong Van Khoa and his wife. Photo: Dao Tho

The wish seems simple, but it is really difficult for the poor female student at this time. Quynh Nhu's situation really needs the support of the community and benefactors to help her have a place to worship her unfortunate mother.

Any help and support please send to: Luong Thi Quynh Nhu, Xop Nam village, Tam Hop commune, Tuong Duong district, Nghe An or Distribution - Social Activities Department, Nghe An Newspaper, No. 3, Le Nin Avenue, Vinh city, Nghe An province; phone number: 02383.686.585