Student uses scholarship to rebuild family memories lost to typhoon

HÀ NỘI, VIETNAM:  For a few seconds, the auditorium was completely still. Then came the applause — long, steady, and heavy with emotion. Some people quietly wiped their eyes. Others just sat there, letting the moment sink in.

At the podium stood Nguyễn Võ Nhật Thiện, a first-year student in Preschool Education. Her hands trembled slightly as she spoke, her voice barely steady.

“I want to use part of this scholarship to remake my parents’ photos and their altar,” she said. “After the recent typhoon, the flood washed everything away.”

With just those few words, a formal scholarship ceremony turned into something deeply personal.

Thiện was speaking at the 2025 Nâng bước thủ khoa (Supporting Top Students) ceremony organised by Tiền Phong newspaper. She is one of 120 outstanding students honoured nationwide this year, but behind her academic success is a childhood shaped by loss and quiet endurance.

Her father died when she was five. By the time she was 10, her mother was seriously ill. From then on, it was just the two of them. Every morning, they woke up before dawn to sell water spinach, scraping together enough money for medicine and for Thiện to stay in school.

On her 12th birthday, her mother died. That day, her childhood ended.

From then on, Thiện learned how to survive on her own — balancing school, odd jobs and grief, while holding tightly to a dream she refused to let go of.

Standing on stage, she remembered her mother’s voice and struggled to keep her composure.

“After my dad passed away, my mum and I sold water spinach every morning,” she said. “She always told me, ‘Just keep studying, my child. No matter what, you must study.’ That’s what kept me going. Without that, I think I would have dropped out right after my mum passed away.”

Over the years, as she studied and worked wherever she could, Thiện discovered something else: a deep love for children.

“I want to become a preschool teacher,” she said quietly. “It’s a way to fulfil my mum’s wish — and maybe to heal the child in me, too.”

Today, Thiện supports herself with two part-time jobs. In the mornings, she waits tables at a coffee shop. In the evenings, she works at a restaurant. Even that fragile routine was disrupted last November, when historic floods hit Đắk Lắk Province.

Her monthly income fell to about VNĐ700,000 (US$26) — barely enough to pay rent. Food and daily essentials now mostly come from relief aid.

The flood also submerged the small house she once lived in, sweeping away nearly everything she owned — including the only remaining photos of her parents.

“The flood changed everything,” she said. “Since starting university, I’ve paid for my own rent, tuition and living costs. Losing my part-time work made things much harder.”

She paused, then added softly, “My parents’ photos were washed away, so I want to use part of this scholarship to rebuild their altar. The rest will help me continue my studies and get through daily life.”

Despite everything, she says her parents are still her greatest source of strength.

“There are nights when I wake up and just sit there crying,” she admitted. “But then I tell myself I have to keep going, to study hard — so I won’t disappoint them.”

A decade of lifting students up

This year’s ceremony carried added meaning. According to Phùng Công Sưởng, Editor-in-Chief of Tiền Phong newspaper, 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the Nâng bước thủ khoa scholarship programme.

It also comes after a year of devastating typhoons that battered many provinces in central and south-central Việt Nam, hitting students from vulnerable families especially hard.

In response, the programme prioritised 70 top students from flood-affected areas, offering support so their education would not be cut short by disaster.

“In difficult times, timely support matters more than ever,” Sưởng said. “These scholarships don’t just help students financially. They remind them that society sees them, supports them, and believes in their future.”

Last year, 120 students nationwide received scholarships, including top scorers and high-ranking candidates in the university entrance exams. The northern region alone accounted for 20 recipients.

For Nguyễn Võ Nhật Thiện, the scholarship is not just financial help but a tribute to her parents.