When the dream of going to school almost was abandoned
At the beginning of 2026, in the windy sea area, Tra Ly Border Guard Station (Dong Thai Ninh commune, Hung Yen province) not only performed the task of maintaining the peace of the sea route, but also became a sustainable support for many poor students through the models "Children raising border guard stations", "Raising children to school".
Amidst the stories mentioned by officers and soldiers, the circumstances of Ta Thi Mai Oanh, an 8A student at Thai Do Primary and Secondary School, make many people feel sad.
Mai Oanh was orphaned of both parents from a very young age, grew up thanks to the hard-working hands of her grandparents. But the tragedy did not stop there, when Oanh was 4 years old, her grandmother passed away after a serious illness, leaving the two grandfathers and grandchildren to rely on each other amidst many hardships.
The difficult life surrounded her, making the little student at one point think about putting aside her dream of going to school to stay at home to help her grandfather. For her, literacy at that time seemed like a luxury.
Understanding that situation, in 2021, Tra Ly Border Guard Station adopted Oanh as an adopted child within the framework of the program "Raising Steps for Children to School - Adoption of Border Guard Station Children", and committed to accompanying and supporting her until she completes the 12th grade program.
Not only stopping at initial support, the concern of green-uniformed soldiers has helped Oanh gradually overcome her inferiority complex and feel secure in studying.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Lam - Deputy Political Commissar of Tra Ly Border Guard Station, in addition to supporting monthly tuition and living expenses, the unit also mobilized officers and soldiers to donate and give Oanh a savings book worth more than 24.7 million VND.
At the same time, the Station also mobilized the Pink Heart Association to give him an additional savings book worth 40 million VND, helping him have more conditions to stabilize his life and feel secure to go to school.
That timely help has become a solid support, adding motivation for Oanh to continue pursuing her dream. For her young student, Tra Ly Border Guard Station is not only a place to perform border protection duties, but also a second home, where she feels protection and love.
Soldiers "nurture" student dreams
Mai Oanh is just one of 8 students who have been and are being helped by Tra Ly Border Guard Station in the past nearly 10 years. These are all students in particularly difficult circumstances, at risk of dropping out of school if they do not receive timely support.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Lam, to date, the unit is still continuing to support 3 students, while 5 students have finished the program because they passed the exam and studied at universities. It is worth mentioning that the support is not only limited to material things. The station also assigns officials to directly tutor, guide learning, and educate life skills, helping them grow up both in knowledge and personality.
In particular, from October 2023, Tra Ly Border Guard Station has implemented the "Border Guard Station Raising Rice Bottle" model. Each month, the unit deducts 20kg of rice from the main meal portions of officers and soldiers to support raising children.
Those precious grains of rice not only carry material value, but also contain the feelings, responsibilities and sharing of soldiers with disadvantaged lives.
Not only Tra Ly Border Guard Station, for many years, units under the Border Guard of Hung Yen province have synchronously implemented the program "Raising Steps for Children to School" and the model "Children Raising Border Guard Stations", bringing remarkable results.
From children facing the risk of dropping out of school, many have grown up, passed university entrance exams, and gradually changed their own future.
Those silent actions are not noisy, not ostentatious, but persistent enough to sow green shoots of hope in the border line. There, the soldiers not only keep peace for every inch of their homeland, but also quietly support young dreams, helping poor students have more faith to continue on the path of learning and life.
