Seeds from a journey
From a chance encounter during a reporting trip to western Nghe An province, timely information shared opened up career opportunities for two ethnic minority girls. Two years later, from the teaching podium of a primary school, one of them became a representative in the 16th National Assembly. Behind that story lies the quiet beauty of journalism – connecting information with life, accompanying the growth of an ethnic minority student on the threshold of her future.
Muscle fate catch head from one trip Go
In 2024, during a business trip to Nga My commune in western Nghe An province, journalist Hoang Thi My Ha met Lo Thi Bao Vy, an O Du ethnic girl who had just graduated from the Faculty of Education at Vinh University. What caught reporter My Ha's attention during that meeting was not only the story of a recent graduate looking for a job, but also the fact that the name Lo Thi Bao Vy seemed quite familiar. During their conversation, Vy recalled an old memory: during her high school years, she had achieved high results in the graduation exam and had been praised by the former Nghe An Newspaper as an example of overcoming difficulties.
Born in Van Mon village, a community of the O Du ethnic group, Vy grew up in a family of four sisters, with parents who were farmers and small-scale traders. During her university years, she worked part-time to support herself and lessen the burden on her family. This very circumstance further fueled her desire to stand on the podium and become a teacher for the students in her hometown.
As a journalist with many years of experience covering education and frequently working with local education authorities, My Ha had a good understanding of the teacher recruitment situation in Nghe An at that time. While many mountainous areas had almost no more vacancies for primary school teachers, some lowland and coastal areas had a significant need for recruitment. Based on the information she had gathered during her work, she suggested that the young woman look into civil servant recruitment exams in the lowlands.
After that meeting, Bao Vy called Sam Thi Hong Trang, her close friend from university. The two girls studied Education, came from mountainous regions, and shared the common worry of recent graduates: finding a job they could commit to.
After hearing Bảo Vy share information about the recruitment, the two girls prepared their applications, registered for the exam, and both successfully passed. Although they were later assigned to different schools - Vy went to Quỳnh Lập A Primary School, and Trang went to Quỳnh Lộc A Primary School.
That joy was made even more complete when, shortly after the exam, journalist My Ha received a call from Bao Vy. Over the phone, the O Du girl tearfully announced that she had officially become a civil servant.
"I passed the exam, sister!"
Just a short sentence. But it was enough for the journalist to feel the joy of a young person who had just stepped through the first door on their career path. Recalling that moment later, Bao Vy was still moved: "I didn't think that a piece of information I heard that day would change so much."
When profession newspaper quiet reason sow germ
Few people know that, for journalist Hoang Thi My Ha, trips to western Nghe An province are not just about completing a journalistic piece. Having followed the education sector for many years, she is almost familiar with every school and every student's special circumstances in the mountainous region of Nghe An. Many of the individuals featured in her articles are still followed by her on their journey to adulthood.
Therefore, when I met Lo Thi Bao Vy again during a business trip to Nga My in 2024, memories of the O Du ethnic student who had been praised by Nghe An Newspaper years ago were brought back. In a friendly conversation with Bao Vy, I understood that the young woman still had many challenges ahead on her career path. And as a professional reflex accumulated from practical experience, I shared the information I had gathered about the teacher recruitment needs in the localities. It wasn't a promise of a job, nor any special help, but simply the connection of a journalist with real life.
"I wasn't helping her find a job. I was just sharing information I knew," American journalist My Ha recalled.
Two years after their meeting in Nga My, Bao Vy's story unfolded in an unexpected way. From a young O Du teacher, she was nominated and elected as a representative to the 16th National Assembly. This was a source of pride for her family, for the village of Van Mon, and for the O Du community – one of the smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam. But perhaps the true value lies in the journey this young teacher has taken.
It's a proud journey of a poor student who overcame hardship, a student of education who didn't back down from adversity, and now a young teacher with a burning desire to contribute to her homeland. This journey is illuminated by knowledge, perseverance, the love of family and school, supportive policies for ethnic minorities, and a touch of serendipity – helpful information reaching the right people at the right time.
Perhaps, without those days spent in the mountainous regions, without persistently pursuing the field of education, that encounter would have simply passed by like so many others on my journalistic journey. But it was precisely this connection with the grassroots, the accumulation of information from practical experience, and the genuine concern for the subjects that transformed me into a bridge to wonderful opportunities.
Journalism is often celebrated for its works, awards, and impactful publications. But sometimes, the most beautiful rewards come from the simplest things. It's when information is delivered at the right time, a life is given renewed hope, a seed is sown silently and blossoms years later. Because behind every journey, every encounter, there are sometimes special "works" not written in words, but continued through the lives of people. And perhaps, that is one of the humane and noble beauties of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism on its journey alongside life.