The little student bears many worries
The road more than 1km from home to Thach Luong Primary & Secondary School (Cau Thia ward, Lao Cai province) has long been familiar with the small gait of Tong Thuy Dan, a 9B grade student. Few people know that behind that obedient and studious student are difficult days that even many adults can hardly bear.
In the morning before going to school, Dan woke up early to cook rice, sweep the house, and remind his mother and younger brother to take medicine. One day when he came to class, he was still anxious because he was afraid that his mother would get sick and worried that his younger brother would have a blood transfusion. Difficulties piled up when the bicycle - the most precious asset donated by the school - was also stolen.
At an age where he should only worry about homework, Dan is used to worrying about food, clothing, medicine, and disease.
Her father is currently serving a prison sentence. All family burdens fall on the shoulders of her mother Dong Thi Thanh (born in 1980) who has been suffering from thalassemia for many years. Tong Hao Y - Dan's younger brother, who is in 2nd grade, also suffers from this terrible disease.
Every month, the two mothers and daughters have to go to the hospital for periodic blood transfusions to maintain life. Prolonged hospital trips, along with medical and travel expenses, have eroded the family, which only relied on a few acres of rice fields.
There are days when he watches his mother sitting quietly calculating medicine money and then turning away to wipe away tears, Dan only knows how to hug books and study diligently. Perhaps he understands that studying is the only path he can cling to to hope that one day his life will change.
For 9 consecutive years, Dan has been an excellent student. In the 2024-2025 school year, he won the Third Prize in the Natural Sciences subject at the town level. At school, he was commented by teachers as being diligent, resilient and never neglecting his studies because of circumstances.
Ms. Tran Kim Tuyen, homeroom teacher of class 9B, said - what the school is most worried about is that the extremely difficult circumstances may cause Dan to drop out of school halfway. The teachers still encouraged him to register for the entrance exam to the Western Boarding High School to have the opportunity to continue studying and reduce the burden on his family.
Timeless upheavals push dreams to precarious schools
But adversity has not let go of the small family of the 9th grade female student.
On March 23, 2026, a large thunderstorm swept through the locality and completely collapsed the house in Na Ban residential group, Cau Thia ward, Lao Cai province - where the three mothers and children were sheltering. The house's originally dilapidated roof after one night was just a pile of rubble.
Local people recounted that the day the house had its roof blown off by the wind, Dan just stood silently watching and gently asked his mother: "Where are we now, Mom?". The naive question of a 15-year-old girl weighing less than 38kg made many listeners feel sad.
Since the storm, in addition to worrying about illness, the family has added the burden of rebuilding the roof. The locality plans to support 40 million VND, the school and organizations and individuals have raised more than 20 million VND.
However, according to Ms. Tuyen, to have a house sufficient to shelter from rain and sun, it takes at least more than 100 million VND - an amount beyond the family's ability due to illness.
Difficulties piled up, what worries teachers and those who know Dan's situation the most is that he does not have the conditions to continue studying high school.
After the tornado that collapsed the roof, amidst the chaos of ruins, the first thing I tried to preserve was still books. Every time I followed my mother and younger brother to the hospital for blood transfusions, I still brought homework to take advantage of studying.
Even during the days when family meals are still struggling, Dan's worry is still not only about illness or the roof not being rebuilt, but also about the 10th grade entrance exam approaching.
For that little student, studying seems to be the biggest hope to cling to. But to keep that hope, the willpower of a 15-year-old girl alone is not enough. In front of her is still the long-term burden of treatment for her mother and younger brother, the cost of rebuilding the house after the storm, and the cost of studying to continue going to school.
The school and local authorities really hope that philanthropists and benefactors will join hands to help poor female students continue to go to school and continue writing about their future. A timely sharing, not only a dream is kept, but also a whole life can be turned to another page.
All help for life situation LD26103 please send to Tam Long Vang Charity Social Fund - 51 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Account number (STK) 113000000758 at Vietinbank Hoan Kiem Branch, Hanoi; Account number: 0021000303088 - at Vietcombank Hanoi Branch; Account number: 12410001122556 - at BIDV Hoan Kiem Branch
