Va Ba Cu's dream

(Baonghean.vn) -While the villages and hamlets were bustling with the joy of the Spring Festival, young Va Ba Cu (a 9th-grade student at Nhon Mai Secondary School, Tuong Duong District) was engrossed in his studies, preparing for the provincial-level gifted student competition scheduled for March.

The boy, born and raised in a particularly disadvantaged mountainous commune, expressed his determination: "The poorer we are, the more we must study. We study to escape poverty, to fulfill our passion for acquiring and exploring knowledge."

And Ba Cu is the only representative from Nhon Mai Secondary School participating in the upcoming provincial-level excellent student competition. At the recent district-level competition, Cu achieved a high score in Geography and was selected for the team to participate in the provincial competition. Speaking with us, Mr. Tran Hung Thai, the school principal, said: “Ba Cu is the pride of the people of Nhon Mai, a shining example of diligence, hard work, good behavior, and academic excellence.” As the sunset cast its light over the mountain peaks, the boarding students were busy preparing dinner with firewood. We looked for Cu's room but couldn't find him. Upon inquiry, we learned that Cu was studying in class.

And Ba Cu is diligently studying and preparing for the upcoming exam.

Seeing us arrive, Cu greeted us very politely with folded hands. The Hmong boy, with his scholarly appearance, fair complexion, and delicate face, said: “It’s very noisy back to the dormitory at this time, and there’s no electricity, so I have to hurry to class to study in peace. The exams are coming up, so I’m very worried!” Cu’s home is in Huoi Man village, located on a mountaintop covered in clouds year-round, dozens of kilometers from the school through the forest, a journey that takes almost a full day on foot. Like many students in this remote border village, Cu had to leave his family early to live in the school dormitory, fending for himself and taking care of his own meals. He is the sixth child in a family of nine siblings; his parents work in the fields all day, and life is very difficult and arduous. It could be said that they don’t have enough to eat or enough warm clothes, but from a young age, Cu has been determined to overcome his circumstances, always being diligent and excelling in his studies so as never to disappoint his teachers and parents. Therefore, Cử achieved the title of outstanding student at the school level for many consecutive years.

And Ba Cu studied all subjects well, with Geography being his strongest. When asked why he liked this subject, Cu smiled and replied, "Geography helps me understand the characteristics, properties, and natural conditions of each region, so that later I can use this knowledge to guide my fellow villagers on how to cultivate crops and raise livestock effectively, helping the village escape hunger and poverty."

The lives of students from mountainous regions like Va Ba Cu are still fraught with difficulties and disadvantages. But overcoming all obstacles, he remains optimistic and shows a strong determination to study hard and achieve his dreams. With the provincial-level gifted student competition approaching, we are confident that this student from the border region will earn a well-deserved place on the honor roll.

Tuong Anh