On August 23, 2024, the Quang Nam - Da Nang School Relay Club celebrated 20 years of operation, 20 years of accompanying Tuoi Tre, supporting poor but studious new students of the famous hometown "five phoenixes flying together".
"Almost enough, 100 scholarships for new students of Quang Nam this year are considered complete, we are just waiting for the list of new students from Tuoi Tre to be sent" - Ms. Kieu Thi Kim Lan happily announced after a while of using the calculator to add up the contributions of the members.
Journalist Le Hoang, former editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, deputy head of the Quang Nam - Da Nang School Support Club
Journalist Le Hoang, former editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, the first person to propose the establishment of the Quang Nam School Relay Club 20 years ago, told a simple story: "We learned from our Quang Tri brothers and saw that they had established a club, helping Tuoi Tre find resources for scholarships, and providing information to the locality to find difficult circumstances to help the children of our hometown. Great! Thinking that Quang Nam should do the same, I discussed it with some close brothers and organized a lunch with a group of fellow countrymen. The idea was immediately welcomed, it is true that Quang Nam has not yet rained but has already soaked in... ".
Mr. Pham Phu Tam, the current club director, laughed: "That first meeting had 15 people. Everyone knows the saying "Quang Nam people like to argue", but in this matter, no one argued at all, there was immediate agreement.
Each person invited their brothers and friends to join. Up to now, the list of donors to the club has nearly 200 people. Some have been with us for 20 years, some for 10 years, some for a short time, and no matter how long or short, it is all precious.
Oh, there are also people who argue that Mr. Le Hoang is a person from Tuoi Tre newspaper (former editor-in-chief), so it is right for him to campaign for the School Relay Club, but I am a person from Phap Luat newspaper, so why am I working for Tuoi Tre?
I say that to sound like a real "argumentative" person, but everyone understands that this is a scholarship campaign for our children and grandchildren, our homeland and country.
Many Quang Nam students have been supported to go to school for 20 years thanks to the kindness of their predecessors.
Ms. Kieu Thi Kim Lan - the group's treasurer - "revealed": "The regional factor here is real, why not?! Every time Tuoi Tre announces the program, we start a campaign on the club's social networking group. Just online, those guys immediately "argue" by text message, for example: "How can Mr. A pay 1 portion, it should be 2-3 portions", "Why does Mr. B only pay 10 million, it should be 30-50 million...".
Thanks to the constant "arguing" and joking, the club members became very close, the activities were completed very quickly, and every meeting was so much fun.
Female members of the Quang Nam - Da Nang School Relay Club at the 2022 scholarship award ceremony
August 23, 2024 will also be a "happy day" like that, when all those who have contributed to thousands of scholarships for new students in Quang Nam will be invited to a meeting.
"But we are waiting for September 21st, the day we will be able to return to Hoi An to present scholarships to new students. But probably only our club is "extravagant", presenting scholarships at a 5-star resort", said Mr. Pham Phu Tam.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Sang - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Palm Garden Resort (Hoi An)
And that's exactly what happened, for more than ten years, since the Quang Nam - Da Nang Club had the participation of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Sang and his wife, the scholarship award ceremonies in Quang Nam were held in the luxurious hall of Palm Garden Resort - Hoi An, the new students were treated to a 5-star hotel lunch, and visited the windy tourist destination on Cua Dai beach.
"The children had a wonderful memory, we are also very grateful, proud to be the most "luxurious" club in the program", Mr. Tam said. As for Mr. Nguyen Thanh Sang, the owner of the resort, he did not say a word about his unconditional sponsorship over the past ten years.
Quang Nam people are sometimes noisy but often quiet. Attending many scholarship award ceremonies in Quang Nam - Da Nang, we witnessed many sponsors wiping away tears when listening to the confidences of the new students who were invited to interact.
After that emotional moment of tears, many people took out their wallets, searched for another envelope, some people put a business card into the student's hand with the earnest request "Call my uncle and aunt"... Now when asked again, they all shook their heads as if they had forgotten those stories.
But as participants in the program, we must remember. And the story of Nguyen Thi Nghia, which continues to this day in Relay to School, is a story that should be repeated.
The 2008 School Support Scholarship season was filled with tears for Nghia. His father was mentally ill, his mother left home, and he had to work hard to make a living since he was young. Nghia could not remember when he became the pillar and support of his father and grandmother. Nghia only had joy when he went to school, and only had hope in studying.
In 2007, Nghia passed the university entrance exam and went to Da Nang to study for a semester. Then, she had no money to pay the tuition, her grandmother got sick, so Nghia returned to work as a worker in a frozen shrimp factory, starting the 2am shift. But she did not give up on her dream.
In 2008, Nghia once again passed the university entrance exam, this time to Ho Chi Minh City University of Law. After passing, she still worked as a factory worker, still not knowing where to get money to go to school. Information about Tiep suc den truong had not reached Nghia, but the girl was determined to find a way to help herself. She went to the commune, to the district to ask about how to borrow money to go to school. There was no guarantor, no fund to lend, but a District Youth Union officer told Nghia: there was a Tiep suc den truong scholarship for new students, however, the district had already finished the list and sent it to the Provincial Youth Union...
Today, Nghia said he still gets goosebumps when he remembers that day: "Hearing that news, with a glimmer of hope, without a penny in my pocket, I took a piece of paper with the Provincial Youth Union's address and my helmet and went out to the road to flag down anyone to hitchhike, regardless of the distance. 75km from Dai Loc to Tam Ky, hitchhiking with 13 people."
Arriving at the Quang Nam Provincial Youth Union headquarters and meeting the person in charge of the scholarship, Nghia was told: the list had been completed a long time ago, tomorrow would be the day to distribute the scholarships. The girl who seemed to have matured through hardship burst into tears and could not stop crying. Those who were busy preparing for tomorrow's ceremony were confused. A phone call was made, and the name Nguyen Thi Nghia was added.
The next day, during the scholarship ceremony, Nghia was invited to the stage to share her story. Once again she burst into tears, but this time she was more determined: "If the scholarship is full, today I only ask for help with enough bus tickets to get to Ho Chi Minh City. When I get there, I will immediately apply for a job to go to school. I will have to graduate from university."
Below the stage, many people shed tears. Nghia did not only receive the bus ticket. Immediately, Nghia's university tuition was collected in full. Ms. Kim Lan gave her phone number: "When you get to the bus station, call me immediately, someone will pick you up." And Nghia was Lan's daughter for four years of university, "and has been a daughter until now," Nghia said.
Now, Nghia has a job, a husband, children, and a house in Da Nang city. "This house is partly a loan from Kim Lan. Now that I have earned 10 dong, I will save up and send her back 5 dong, even though she said she doesn't need to pay. As long as I can pay back the money, I will remember the favor for the rest of my life. She helped me before, and now she helps my whole family. She is always there, like a pedestal when I fall down...
Helping others go to school was such a turning point in my life. I am continuing to strive to stabilize my own life, and in turn, I can help others, and repay life."
In 2017, Nguyen Thi Nghia recalled the memory of receiving the scholarship in 2008: The program gave me a mother.
There are many such stories in the Quang Nam School Relay Club, and today the brothers and sisters all said: helping people should not be mentioned. Mr. Pham Phu Tam repeated: "School Relay, I think it is true that it is a relay, like a bottle of water, a package of energy given to athletes in a marathon, the decision in that race is the willpower and effort of you.
Supporting is very valuable, but what is greater is spiritual support, bringing faith and warmth when you enter society. We are happy when you grow up and overcome your fate."
Ms. Kieu Thi Kim Lan, the main character in Nghia's story, said: "Looking back at the club's activities, as well as the entire "Tiep suc den truong" program, I see that there are achievements but no successes. Because the number of new students in difficulty is still very large, we can only help some of them, not all of them. When there are no more new students who have to suffer at the threshold of university, then we dare to think about success."
Having joined the club for 8 years and immediately becoming a key member, Mr. Nguyen Tam Tien looks at the club's activities with the perspective of a businessman: "This is not only a place to contribute scholarships, we keep in touch with each other, share life values, and nurture our spirit. That warmth helps us overcome the economic difficulties of the past few years, maintain our activities, and keep the annual scholarships.
This scholarship gives us a very meaningful opportunity to share with society, giving us hope for a brighter future for our country through the maturity of the young generation."
From the first scholarship to the first ceremony awarding 22 scholarships, to thousands of scholarships a season and the confident announcement: "New students in difficulty - There is Youth", the long steps of Relay to School would not have been so long without the support of Relay to School clubs in provinces and cities such as Quang Nam - Da Nang Club.
New students are encouraged to go to school, opening up a brighter future
TAN LUC - DUYEN PHAN - Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/20-nam-an-tinh-dat-quang-nhung-nguoi-dong-thuan-tiep-suc-tan-sinh-vien-ngheo-20240821190537386.htm
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