Gia Linh, that is strong will!

Performed by: DOAN NHAN - THANH NGUYEN - NHA CHAN - DIEM HUONG

As soon as she entered school, Linh applied to work at a restaurant in Da Nang to earn money and learn English with foreigners - Photo: DOAN NHAN

One rainy morning, Linh woke up in a small rented room in the middle of Da Nang city. After eating 3 slices of dry bread, she rushed into the rain to work. The first days of being alone in a foreign land made Linh miss her parents a lot.

Family in debt had to take refuge at great-grandmother's house

It was almost dark when Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Thu (42 years old, Gia Linh's mother) returned home in Quarter 3, Gio Linh Town (Gio Linh District, Quang Tri). For the past 4 months, Ms. Kim Thu has been working as a seasonal purchasing employee at a resort in Cua Viet Town (Gio Linh District), with a salary of 5 million VND/month.

Ms. Thu said the job requires going early and coming home late, working far from home and “is not stable because depending on the number of customers, they will sign a new contract next winter”. She is worried about unemployment because of the rainy and stormy season at the end of the year, Quang Tri has few tourists so resorts often reduce operations.

The couple worked in construction in Gia Lai, but lost money, so the family sold their house and shouldered the debt, moving back to her husband's hometown in Gio Linh to live since 2012.

Gia Linh's father died of a serious illness while the family was still in debt and her mother had an unstable job - Photo: HOANG TAO

Having no place to live, the family stayed at her great-grandmother's house in Phong Binh commune (Gio Linh district). Her husband continued to work in the construction industry, while Thu worked hard at all kinds of jobs, from selling insurance, working at restaurants and bars, tapping rubber trees for hire, and selling flowers.

In 2021, the family moved to live in Thu's brother-in-law's house, which is currently unused.

At this time, her husband developed cirrhosis and then tuberculosis and had to be treated at the district hospital and Hue Central Hospital.

Work extra until midnight to pay for school

Female student has worked part-time since 8th grade to help her mother with her school expenses – Photo: DOAN NHAN

Not wanting her mother to suffer, Gia Linh worked extra hours after school. One day she went to school, the other day she helped cook, helped with parties, tutored... Whatever job she could do, Linh would do.

During the summer months, she spent 10 hours a day working part-time at a small tea shop. The shop was run by Linh, who cooked winter melon tea, packaged it, and delivered it when customers called. Countless deliveries were made under the scorching summer sun. The Laotian wind from Quang Tri blew on the little girl’s frail shoulders. From 8th to 12th grade, the little money she earned from her part-time job helped her buy books and pay tuition so her mother could work to support her younger siblings and take care of her father.

The year Linh entered 11th grade, her father passed away.

Linh recalled through tears: “That was the time when I felt most desperate. I used to think very negatively. But at times like that, my mother was the one who encouraged me to try to go to school to change my life. My younger brother was in high school, and he told my mother many times to save money for his sister to go to school, he didn’t need to go to school. When I heard him say that, I could only turn away to hide my sobs.”

Go slow, but don't give up.

Gia Linh always tells herself that even if she goes slowly, she will still reach her destination if she tries hard and doesn't give up - Photo: THANH NGUYEN

With a national high school exam score of 25.65 points, Linh passed the Business Administration major at the University of Economics - University of Danang.

With the money her mother borrowed for her to pay for her tuition, on her first day in Da Nang, Linh rushed to find a job as a waitress in a restaurant with many foreign customers. With a salary of 20,000 VND/hour, she worked part-time and improved her English and communication skills. Linh has been self-studying English since she was young, and now working part-time at this restaurant is an opportunity to communicate with foreigners.

“I am not afraid of hardship. There is nothing that is difficult, I am only afraid of working hard but still not having enough money for living expenses and tuition. I am still luckier than many people. If my parents do not take care of me, I believe I can still take care of myself, as long as I have a goal and make an effort, and always tell myself that it is okay to go slowly but do not give up,” Linh confided.

Excellent student of the province, boundless determination!

Teacher Nguyen Xuan Vu - Gio Linh High School, tutoring Gia Linh in the Chemistry team - commented that she is an excellent student, has good knowledge and skills, is obedient, polite, and gets along with everyone.

“Linh has great determination to overcome difficulties, and is extremely hard-working because she studies, works part-time at a coffee shop, and tutors. Between studying and working, Linh manages her time very well, has leadership ability, and charisma,” Mr. Vu assessed.

Mr. Doan Thanh Duong – the head of Ward 3 – said that Ms. Thu struggled to raise her two children alone. “Ms. Thu works for hire to feed the three of them. Gia Linh is a good student, and the ward often gives her a certificate of merit for encouraging learning at the end of the year,” Mr. Duong said.

Gia Linh won the provincial Encouragement Prize in Chemistry, the highest English score in the National High School Exam in the school and the highest total score in block D01 in the high school.

This female student is also the class monitor, a member of the school's Youth Union Executive Committee, actively participating in school activities as well as English clubs and young theory clubs.

September 20th, deadline for registration for the 2024 School Support Scholarship

The application process for the 2024 Support to School Scholarship will end on September 20. New students with financial difficulties can register online to apply for the scholarship at: http://surl.li/fkfhms or scan the QR code and follow the instructions.

Please scan this QR code to register and introduce new students in need of support to school. The program will accept information until September 20, 2024.

The 2024 School Support Program was launched by Tuoi Tre newspaper on August 8, expected to award 1,100 scholarships (15 million VND/scholarship for new students in difficult circumstances and 20 special scholarships of 50 million VND/scholarship for four years of study) and learning equipment, gifts...

The program received contributions and support from the "Accompanying Farmers" Fund (Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company), Vinacam Education Promotion Fund (Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company), "Quang Tri Affection" Club, "Phu Yen Affection" Club and "Supporting Students to School" Clubs of Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam - Da Nang, Tien Giang - Ben Tre, Quang Ngai.

There are also the Tien Giang - Ben Tre Business Association in Ho Chi Minh City, the German - Vietnamese Mutual Aid and Cooperation Association (VSW), Nam Long Company, Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd., along with businesses, philanthropists and readers of Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Businesses and readers can support scholarships for new students by transferring to Tuoi Tre newspaper account:

113000006100 VietinBank, Branch 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

Content: Support "Support to school" for new students or specify the province/city that you want to support.

Readers and businesses abroad can transfer money to Tuoi Tre newspaper:

USD account 007.137.0195.845 Ho Chi Minh City Foreign Trade Bank;

EUR account 007.114.0373.054 Foreign Trade Bank, Ho Chi Minh City

with Swift code BFTVVNVX007.

Content: Support "Support to school" for new students or specify the province/city that you want to support.

In addition to funding scholarships, readers can support learning equipment, accommodation, jobs, etc. for new students.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/gia-linh-do-chinh-la-nghi-luc-kien-cuong-20240917172239075.htm