Mother and child work together
The small house of Quynh Nguyen (born in 2006) and her children is located in Nghia Ninh commune, Dong Hoi city (Quang Binh province). Many years ago, her father worked as a mechanic, the main breadwinner of the family, and together with her mother, she sold fruit at the rural market to earn enough money to take care of her children.
An unfortunate event occurred when her father had an accident and passed away, leaving her mother alone with the great pain. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu did not know what to do with her three children, at that time, Nguyen, the eldest, was only 13 years old. The family became one of the poor households in the commune.
Despite much advice, Ms. Hieu did not go abroad to work because she wanted her children to live together instead of sending them to relatives. She applied to work as a worker at a garment factory. After a few years, feeling her health getting weaker, Ms. Hieu worked as a waitress at a restaurant. Then, diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency, she returned home to raise livestock.
The mother still advised her children to focus on studying , to try harder and overcome difficulties to change their lives later. In the last year of middle school, Quynh Nguyen was inspired by her History teacher, motivating her to be confident in her passion for History as well as passing the entrance exam to Vo Nguyen Giap High School for the Gifted (Dong Hoi City).
"In the following years, understanding my mother's hardships, along with the care from friends, parents and teachers at school, I tried harder in my studies. Still keeping my passion for History, I was selected by my teacher to participate in competitions for excellent students at all levels" - Nguyen shared.
Steadfast on the new path
Fortunately for her efforts, in the 2023-2024 school year, Nguyen Pham Quynh Nguyen excellently won second prize in History in the National Excellent Student Competition and was directly admitted to Hanoi Law University.
The joy that comes to the small family is also the worry that lies ahead. Looking at her daughter, now a freshman, eagerly packing her bags to start school, Ms. Hieu cannot help but worry. She herself now does whatever job anyone hires her to do, and her kidney disease has made her dependent on medication. However, she still encourages her daughter to study hard and get along well when she goes out to live with friends.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu confided: “Having children study well is an honor for parents, hoping that they can be independent for a better future. I also try to borrow more money to help my children pay for their tuition and living expenses.”
Quynh Nguyen plans to rent a room with her friends to reduce living expenses and work part-time to help her mother. At the same time, she aims to "hunt" for scholarships during her semester.
Homeroom teacher Nguyen Thi Sau shared that Nguyen was very lucky during the three years studying at the Specialized School because she received attention from the parents of the class, teachers and benefactors.
"Not letting down everyone's love, Nguyen has continuously achieved high academic results. That is the sweet fruit of her efforts, and also the opportunity to open new doors. I hope that in the next stage, she will be more steadfast so that she can continue writing her dream" - Ms. Sau hopes.
