Father is bedridden, mother is sick, female student admitted to Foreign Trade University cannot go to school

Those were the heartbreaking words shared by female student Nguyen Thi Hoa (born 2001), residing in hamlet 7, Van Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, when talking about her dream of university life ahead.

Hoa's father has been bedridden for many years. Photo: Duc Thanh

Nguyen Thi Hoa is the youngest of three children. Luckier than her brothers, Hoa was given the opportunity by her parents to study properly, despite her family's difficult circumstances.

When we arrived at the family's house, Hoa was preparing the newly picked vegetables for the family's dinner. Looking around the family's low two-room house, there was nothing of value. In the corner of the house, her father, Mr. Nguyen Que Binh (60 years old), was lying motionless on the bed due to a serious illness.

Despite her poor circumstances, with her determination, Hoa has made great efforts to excel in her studies and achieved many high achievements. In the recent high school graduation exam, she achieved very impressive results. Her admission score for block D was 26.85 points (including: Literature: 8.75; English: 9.0; Math: 8.6 and plus 0.5 priority points). Hoa is also the female student with the second highest score in block D of Phan Dang Luu High School. With such a high result, Hoa was admitted to Hanoi Foreign Trade University.

Even though the university door is wide open ahead, Hoa does not dare to think about it, because the cost of studying is too high and her family does not know where to find money to pay for her to enroll, not to mention the cost to cover her future years of study.

The homeroom teacher (sitting in the middle) came to encourage Hoa's family and her to continue going to school. Photo: Duc Thanh

Ms. Phan Thi Lien (59 years old), Hoa's mother, said: "He has been sick for several years and cannot work, so the family's already difficult situation has become even more difficult. She passed the university entrance exam with high scores but she cannot go to school."

After so many years of struggling to make a living with the burden of "bread and butter", Mr. Binh now has to suffer from many illnesses such as diabetes and neurological diseases that have now turned into complications, so he can only stay at home and cannot do anything.

My mother also has many diseases such as coronary artery disease, polyarthritis, gout, high blood pressure, etc., so she cannot do heavy work like other people. A few years ago, Mrs. Lien also packed up and went to work as a maid for others. Although it was hard and far from home, in return, she still had some income, but it was not enough to pay for medicine for the couple. Now Mr. Binh is lying there, so Mrs. Lien has to go home to take care of him, so the difficulties have become even more difficult.

Hoa still wants to go to school even though she knows her parents can't afford to pay for her to go to school. Photo: Duc Thanh

Although she knew her family’s circumstances and that continuing to study would only put more pressure on her parents, Hoa still wanted her mother to let her go to school, because for her, it was more than just a dream. “If I could go to school, I would get a part-time job to ease the burden on my parents.”

Sharing about her student, Ms. Trieu Thi Nghia - Hoa's homeroom teacher said: "Hoa is quiet, in class she is a good student, in 3 years of high school she has always been an excellent student of the school... And the results she achieved in the recent exam are completely deserved. Hopefully, Hoa will continue to go to school to fulfill her dream, and we also hope that benefactors will join hands to help, so that her lecture hall door does not have to close halfway."

Please send all support and help to:

* Nguyen Thi Hoa - Hamlet 7, Van Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District, Nghe An Province. Phone: 038.995.4016. Account Number: 105869968178. Vietinbank - Yen Thanh Branch.

* Or through the Publishing - Social Affairs Department, Nghe An Newspaper, No. 3, Lenin Street, Vinh City. Phone: 02383.686.585

Duc Thanh