Our Children
These are some of the lovely girls in our education program in Quang Nam, with some having left the program, having finished their education. They have differing family circumstances, but all couldn't afford to continue their education without financial support due to the low income of those caring for them.
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Minh Hang
Hang was sponsored for three years, and always had good school results. Besides working hard at school she volunteered with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union at school and in her community. Her mother bought vegetables, honey, and herbs from Tay Giang and sold them in Hoi An. Due to travelling a long distance to do this, she worked there for three days and visited home one day and travelled on the other days. Dad worked as a laborer and construction assistant. Unfortunately, he fell from the 2nd floor of a building and had serious multiple injuries (liver and kidney, neck, pulmonary contusion, mediastinal trauma, broken right-shoulder and ribs). Luckily, he wasn’t paralyzed but needed long term treatment. At that time, Hang's mother who was the breadwinner of the family couldn't afford the family and education costs for three children. We found a sponsor. Minh Hang is now studying Sociology at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. She finds it really interesting . "It gives me a broader perspective on our society." Her parents can afford her education costs and she no longer needs sponsorship. |
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Thanh Thao
Thao lives with her mother and two siblings, 11 and 4, in a fishing village. Her mother, 45, was a housekeeper in a hotel, then stopped work to give birth to her unplanned baby in 2020. In the same year she lost her job due to Covid, then stayed at home and cared for the children and her ill husband. In the same year she found out she had a breast tumor which wasn’t cancerous but needed treatment. Thao’s father was a fisherman and the breadwinner but he got throat cancer, had many chemotherapy sessions and when he passed away two years ago left them with a large debt from treatment and building a new small home 5 years earlier. Thao who has been sponsored three years, was always a good student during her 11 years of school, except for the year her father was dying as she was too sad to concentrate. |
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Thi Diem
Diem’s mother was diagnosed with stage II lung cancer six years ago even though she already had one lung removed. Presently, she only does light household chores. Her father, who has a disability became the sole provider for the family since her mother became ill. Every day he collects food scraps to feed his pigs. Their finances depend on raising pigs, but it’s an unreliable income as sometimes their pigs die. Beside that her father is a tailor and makes uniforms for students during the summer holiday. Her family has a large bank debt and in addition, Diem’s uncle and neighbors lent them a large sum without interest for her mother’s treatment. Diem has maintained good grades for many years in a row. When Diem’s mother told her that they could not afford to send her to school anymore, Diem burst into tears and said that she would not drop out of school and could find a part time job such as washing dishes in a local restaurant to earn money to go to school. We heard of their situation and found a sponsor for her. Since high school she's gone onto study Journalism at university, where she is doing very well. As her parents made a large profit from selling their pigs this has covered her university costs, along with Diem's income from working part time. Sponsorship was no longer needed. |
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Anh Thuong
Thuong has been sponsored for 13 years through many family ups and downs. She lives with her parents and brother in a small house in the countryside. Thuong’s mother has a disability, can speak English quite well and used to look after their family tourist bike rental business when they lived in town. This ended with Covid. Recently they took out a loan to reestablish this business. Thuong’s father, although illiterate, is the sole breadwinner of the family, working as a motorbike taxi driver and takes responsible for the family business now. Their income is unstable, and it’s difficult to pay their interest and daily costs. At home, after doing homework, she helps her family with household chores and looks after her little brother. Her dream is to be an architect but she knows her standard may not be high enough, but she is working hard to improve it, and if not successful, she will study to be a teacher. |
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Hoai Nhi
Nhi who’s been in our sponsorship program for four years, has always done well in school. She lives with her 85 year old granny and brother in granny's house in Que Son. Her brother is a paraplegic due to falling off the roof while doing repairs. As he's an IT engineer he can work from home. Although mum has spinal damage she works as a housekeeper in Tam Ky on a low income, earning enough to support herself. Dad who died from a heart attack 7 years ago believed that if his children were educated it would change their lives. She is considering studying Law at university after graduation. |
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Kim Thoa
Thoa has just been in our program four years and always does well. She loves school and wants to be an IT Engineer. She always works hard to make her parents happy, to have a better job in the future, and to be able to look after her parents. Due to their poverty, Thoa’s mother went to the south of Vietnam and worked in a factory where she met Thoa’s father, a disabled man from a poor family in the Mekong Delta. They married, lived, and worked there. When Thoa was three, her mother got Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, causing both kidneys to fail. The family returned to her hometown so that they could ask for help from her relatives because her husband's site is poor. Thoa’s mother can't work as she’s in hospital most of the time. For the last seven years her mother has been very ill and needed her father to look after her at the hospital. When Thoa’s parents aren’t home, she stays with her maternal grandparents and her uncle's family. She recently applied to study IT at university and has been accepted based on her high school results of the last three years! |
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Minh Duong
Duong who has been sponsored four years, has been the best in the school since she started. Her English skills are excellent and it’s one of her favourite subjects. Duong attends many school activities and is the school’s MC. Duong’s mother committed suicide when she was 13 months old after an argument with her husband. When Duong was five, her father re-married an ethnic woman and they lived in Tay Giang. There, he worked as a school security guard and her step-mother was a teacher. They had two children. Because of his low income, Duong’s father quit his job and then worked as a construction worker with a higher salary but it was still hard to afford the family costs on his unstable income, so when Duong was eight years old, she moved to live at her paternal granny’s home in Que Son. Although granny was 66 at that time and had valvular regurgitation and degeneration of the lumbar vertebra, she worked as a farmer, planting a block of rice, raising a cow, a calf and a few chickens. She also looked after her mother-in-law who was 100 years old. Duong plans on a university education in the future. |
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Ly
Ly's mother left her with her elderly grandparents when she was very young and she remained angry with her for a long time. To support the three of them granddad used to sell lottery tickets until shortly before her died five years ago. Now the extended family help support granny. Ly is a tomboy and is quite a tempestuous young lady. She was has sponsored for fifteen years. She did very well in her last two year of high school when she became determined to go to university which she has completed. She studied Russian at university in Vietnam and in Russia. She's now doing her masters in Russia in Russian in International Relations. |
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Minh
Minh has one sister who was also sponsored by CEF to study accountancy. She and her sister lived with their mentally ill uncle and their single mother. Minh was sponsored for six years and was an excellent student. Her teachers were very proud of her and entered her in education competitions. We stopped sponsoring when their situation became stable. Her mother sold some of their land, built a new home, renovated the old one and rents it out. We still invite Minh to CEF events. Minh now is in her final year at the Vietnam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology, majoring in Information Technology. This coming summer, she will be doing an internship at a company. After graduation, she plans to apply for a Testing position. |
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Nhu
Nhu, an orphan lived with granny and auntie in the hallway of a government apartment block. They lived there while they waited for the local government to release some land for them to live on. Nhu was sponsored eight years. She was an excellent student when young, but through high school she struggling with some of her subjects, which started when she was at an emotional low. She completed her education and was planning on vocational training and working. |
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Tuyen
Tuyen's parents are both blind. Dad used to work full time as a massage therapist at a blind centre, earning about $1 a day until Covid. He now works from home earning more, so this has worked out well for him. Mum hasn't good health and stays at home. Tuyen's grandparents live next door and help out when need be. Tuyen was sponsored for seven years. When young she didn't do well at school because no one could help her with home work. We found a tutor nearby and thanks to her generous sponsor she had weekly private tuition until she entered secondary school which made a big difference. That help was no longer available one she entered secondary school, so she found her last few years difficult. She completed grade 9 then trained as a hairdresser and manicurist which she loves and has work in a salon. |
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Ha
Ha's father died and her mother lives in HCM City with some of her siblings. Mum sells food each day and was sending a little money home each month to feed Ha. Ha moved between two homes; the home of one granny and that of her other grandparents. Ha who is a sweet and very gentle girl, was sponsored for seven years. She worked hard at school and was an excellent student. She moved to HCM City with her granny to live with mum and her siblings and to study there. |
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Thuy
Thuy's mother can't look after her, so she lived with granny, a disabled aunt and her cousin, with an aunt and uncle and more cousins next door. Her cousin's mother sometimes cam home for a few days when she could get time off from work. Her father died and mum remarried and she rarely sees her mother. Thuy worked hard at school, but her results suffered because she had little time for homework as she helped her aunt and uncle next door with housework and child care in exchange for some support for her. She completed school then did vocational training. |
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Vy
Vy's mother died of stomach cancer nine years ago, then she lived with her dad when he was not away working. When he was away she moved from one aunt's home to another, as none of the situations worked out well. This sweet and easy-going young woman suffered with all the insecurity she was going through and the restrictions on her use of electricity in the evenings for study purposes. Sadly four years ago dad died. She then lived alone a little of the time and one of her brothers and an aunt took turns to live with her and help care for her. Her home was a dilapidated wooden shack, but an NGO built a new home for her. She got into university and has been studying to be a nurse. |
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Dieu
Dieu's parents drowned. Until recently she lived with her older sister, brother and elderly grandparents who are sweet and caring. Due to their advanced years and fragility, the children looked after them more than the grandparents looked after their grandchildren. Her sister and her brother have also received educational support from CEF. Dieu has been sponsored for eleven years and is a good student. Her brother completed his university studies and is working, and her sister completed her studies, married and has had a child and lives with her husband nearby, and sadly granny died four years ago. She is now studying Journalism at university. |
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My Nhu
My Nhu lived with granddad and her mentally ill aunt who is in her 50's. Granny died before she was born. Her father died in an accident when she was a baby and mum remarried and moved to the south of Vietnam when she was in grade 1. She has not seen her mother since then. My Nhu is a sweet girl who helped her granddad with cooking and domestic chores when home. She was a good student when young, found high school very challenging, but did fortunately graduate. She is now studying to be a receptionist in Da Nang. |
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Trinh
Trinh was a weak, unhealthy and frightened little toddler when we first met her, when helping one of her siblings with their education. Over the years we have known her she has gained both weight and confidence. She lived with granddad and an auntie. Mum died from brain cancer nine years ago and granny passed away soon after. Trinh was sponsored six years and loved school but wasn't doing very well as she had no support at home or anyone to take her to extra tuition classes. She completed grade 9 and then trained as a seamstress and is working in Ho Chi Minh City. |
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Phuong Linh
Phuong Linh lost her father five years ago after he had a stroke. She’s 18 now but has shown a maturity beyond her age. She asked her extra tuition teachers to reduce the fees they charge to help her mother. She was a hard worker at home and in class too, and was often complimented by her teachers. Her dream is for her mother to live a long and healthy life and probably because she doesn't want to lose her too, as her mother has poor health. She's now studying Auditing and Accounting at university. |
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Dung
Dung was living with mum, her elderly granny and auntie when we first met. When she entered high school for three years she lived in a boarding room to be in a position to complete her education, as there was no high school near home. She returned home on weekends, adjusted well to boarding, worked hard, and did just as well in high school as she did in secondary school. She has completed her university course in Construction Finance and is working. |
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Hien
Hien a is bubbly young women even though her mother and granny who she lives with have poor health. Mum works in a factory and granny is too old to work, but helps out at home. She loved school and learning. Hien requested English classes as she wanted to communicate with the English-speaking children in her neighborhood. She was thrilled when we told her of free classes at an English language centre 'STEC' which she has attended for six years. She did well in school and is in university studying English. |
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Hoai Nga
Nga's father only does domestic chores because of a serious back injury and mum works in a factory. Nga was excited recently because her mother bought a cooking stove. She no longer had to cook for her family on a wood fire, which gave her more time for her home work, enabling her to maintain her ongoing very high standard. She is such a 'bright' student and did very well in school each year and now is doing well in university where she is studying English. |
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Tuyet Trinh
Tuyet Trinh a quiet young lady, was a hard-working student at school and consequently always had excellent results. Tuyet Trinh helped in the home when she had free time. Her mother made a meagre living from selling rice porridge early each morning and making small colorful lanterns with silk threads during the remainder of the day. CEF sponsored Trinh for five years and then she received two scholarships four years ago enabling her to attend university in Ho Chi Minh City to study Psychology. |
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Diem Quynh
Diem Quynh has a lot of character and is full of energy. Having HIV doesn't seem to impact her present day life in any obvious way except she has to take her medications at set times and have regular health checks. Both her parents have passed away from HIV. From when she was born she has lived with her grandparents and one cousin. Granny is a farmer and garbage collector who works hard to support the family. Quynh loves school mainly for the friendships, playing and art, and is not good at academic subjects. She doesn't make much effort and we suspect that is because she has been told by the family that she will die from HIV. She recently started vocational training at STREETS International which she loves. |
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Thuy Van
Thuy Van is a hard working and clever girl who is doing really well at school. she loves English and practices whenever she has someone to speak to in English. When not at school or doing home work she helps her mother around the house. Her father died suddenly from a stroke although he had stopped working and was taking it easy as he was told he had congenital heart disease. Mum does whatever work she can get to support her two children and at present grows vegetables, sells vegetables from her bike each morning and cares for someone else's acacia trees. |
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Dieu Huyen
Dieu Huyen loves school and after graduation she plans to be a modern farmer using modern farming techniques and equipment. That is a long way off as she is just in secondary school. She hasn't been doing very well in school as dad isn't very caring or supportive. She now knows she has to be the one who sets her homework and puts in the time, as she hasn't got anyone to tell her when and how much to do. Dad has been looking after three children since mum died from a major brain injury as the result of a serious motorbike accident. She had emergency brain surgery but it wasn't soon enough to save her life. |
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Huyen Vi
Huyen Vi's parents divorced some years ago and dad remarried. Mum works away from home doing two jobs to earn enough to support her mother and youngest child, Vi, who lives with granny. Mum sells coffee in the early morning then has a cleaning job in a hotel for the remainder of the day. Vi dreamed of being a physical education teacher so she can teach young people how to stay healthy and how to get enough of the right exercise. Her goal was good, but for her abilities not suitable, so she changed her mind and is studying Commercial Business at university. |
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Thanh Thao
Her mother is very caring and spends a lot of time helping her with her school work. This has resulted in her doing well at school. Her mother used to work, but got weaker and lost a lot of weight. Nowadays she has no income as no one will employ her because of having HIV, so she helps her relatives and cares for her daughter and the family help support the two of them even though poor themselves. Thanh Thao lives and eats with her grandmother as mum doesn't want to risk Thao getting infected. This coming year Thao is applying to study hospitality. |
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My Lan
Lan is a sweet girl and is doing very well in school. She is unusual as ethics is her favorite subject as she loves to solve ethical problems. In literature classes she loves writing about and describing trees. Her mum works in a factory and earns very little and can't afford to support her four children. When her parents divorced she went to live with her paternal grandparents and her brothers. Mum and her sister lived with the maternal grandparents. Soon after the divorce dad was killed by a drunk stranger. Recently with a large loan and some savings, mum was able to build a small home next to her in-laws so at last they are all together making Lan very happy. |
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Thanh Nhan
Dad died seven years ago from a lung infection, possibly from espestosis, as well as kidney failure. He had been a construction worker for his working life and his health had been suffering for many years. Since dad died this young girl has learned to look after herself more and can do cleaning such as mopping and can wash her own clothes. She loves school and is doing well. Her biggest dream is to stay in school a long time. Her mother sells snails each morning in the hope of earning enough to support her three children. She wants them to all be well-educated so they can have a good income. |
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Nhu Quynh
Nhu Quyn lived with her father, two brothers and grandfather until recently. Dad is a rice farmer and works in a rice mill. Granddad made money from using the front room for motorbike parking. As there was no woman in the house Quynh did the housework and most of the cooking. This was understandable but unfortunately affected her results. Mum and granny lived together as mum had terminal cancer and granny helped to care for her. Now mum has greatly improved health and has moved back to live with her husband and children and with a loan and some savings have built a home of their own, which is wonderful as granddad is not a very easy person to live with. Now they are in a financially stable position they have promised to support Quynh to complete school. |
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Thi Thanh Thao
Thao, a sweet, shy and very quiet girl, loved school, especially literature as it helped her get in touch with her feelings. Sadly one of her older sisters killed herself due to the effect their poverty had on her and her education. Since then the parents have been very aware of how their children are feeling and do whatever they can to ensure they have the educational support they need. They only have a small amount of land and grow rice and corn in rotation, and sell bananas, steamed cassava and sweet potatoes at the market. Once their eldest girls graduated from university they could afford Thao's education costs and so she no longer in our program. |
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Thanh Tra
When we first met Tra nine years ago in front of her old dilapidated wooden house she greeted us in excellent English and just wanted to practice her English as her goal then was to study English at university. She has been successful and is doing exactly what she wanted. She complete high school with excellent results then studied to be an English teacher and now teaches in a language centre as well as in a high school. Her elderly parents have poor health from a life of ongoing hard work and now neither can work these days. Fortunately all of their children are working and are able to help their parents a little. |
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