An exceptionally bright student was Trương Phan Thu Hiền : The Little Girl who went to medical school in Huế.
                                                                            Please read her story below.
 

---- Translated by LKN -----

Life was unfair for a little girl named Truong Phan Thu Hien. (Hien means good and gentle in Vietnamese.)

 Only a few days old, she was abandoned by her birth parents.  Luckily an old couple, Truong Man and Phan thi Ut, who lived at 41/26 Phan Dinh Giot, P. Phuong Sai, Nha Trang city, adopted her and gave her all their love and devotion. This family was not well-off.  He worked as a rickshaw driver. She sold vegetables in the market. Some days they had enough to eat, some days not!  Despite all this hardship they adored Hien as if she were their own child. Unfortunately, when Hien was a year old she contracted a severe case of measles that took away the sight in one eye.  The old couple spent all their money trying to find a cure but it was hopeless.

 When Hien was old enough to go to school she studied diligently and was very dutiful to her adopted parents.  In spite of the poverty and the loss of one eye, Hien was always an excellent student and got good grades in all her classes.

During her middle school years her mother suffered a terminal illness. Her heart was failing. The whole family relied on the rickshaw, the only valuable asset, to help make ends meet. Her mother’s condition grew worse and her father had to obtain loans at an outrageous interest rate to buy medicine for his wife.  During all those middle and high school years, Hien lacked everything that her classmates had.  She could not even afford to buy textbooks and school supplies, etc.  After school, she would do anything to earn a little money: sell iced tea, wash dishes, baby-sit… Yet she was always optimistic and was one of the best students in her class.  Sadly, at the end of her junior year, her mother passed away.

Hien graduated from high school in the year 2000 and got accepted into the University of Dalat, majoring in Mathematics.  Upon receiving the great news, Hien and her father cried for both joy and sadness.  Joy because this was a major accomplishment as it was extremely difficult to pass the college entrance exams in Vietnam, and yet sadness because they knew they could not possibly afford the tuition and other expenses.  As a result, she had no choice but to turn down the opportunity.

Hien then decided to quit school for a year in order to earn enough money to help pay off her father’s debts.  This year, Mr. Man again had to obtain additional loans to pay for her college entrance exams.  Even at age 60, everyday at 5AM he started riding the pedicab looking for clients all day long and was not able to come home until dark With determination and perseverance, Hien proudly passed this year’s stringent exams with flying colors. She got accepted into two universities -- the Medical School of Hue and the University of Dalat.

Choked with tears and emotion, Mr. Man said, “Hien did not want to accept the offer at all because she knows I would have to work longer hours and incur more debts, but I insisted.  I told her I am willing to sacrifice so that she will have a better future. I just hope that God gives me good health so that I can continue to support and take care of her.  The day when she gets her degree will be the day I can be happy leaving this earth!”

Above is a very true and moving story of Hien, a poor but determined and optimistic 18 years old girl.  We hope you can help make Hien’s dream -- to be a medical doctor -- come true!

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Note: the picture above was taken by NTC in April 2001.  Hien was studying at a corner of her house.  Having few furniture, she substituted a chair for the desk.

 Last year Hien was also accepted to the University of Dalat, but her family could not afford to send her.  Although already living in poverty, her neighbors, upon learning of this great accomplishment, pledged money to pay for one term (about two months).  However, as the first day of school was approaching, Mr. Man could not make enough money to pay for tuition and other expenses.  So regrettably, Hien had to stay home.

 While friends started school, Hien began to look for a job.  After being rejected many times, Hien finally found a job baby-sitting an eleven year-old child.  This boy was mentally disabled and no longer accepted by his school because of his uncontrollable behavior.  Hien recalled: “He was constantly getting his hands into things and breaking them.  Sometimes when I fed him, he would kiss me and then, all of the sudden, he would bite my arms and face, and it hurt!  He also tore up my notebooks and textbooks.  As a result, I could only study while he was taking a nap or when his parents were home.  Nonetheless, I missed him a lot when I had to quit baby-sitting him, so I could prepare for the college entrance exams.  Once in a while I tried to stop by to see him...”

Ever since Hien’s mother passed away two years ago, her father, a 60 year-old man, continued riding his old rickshaw to make a living and to pay for her tuition.  He said: “As living conditions improve, my job is getting harder. Some days, I am lucky to earn 10,000 to 15,000 dongs (less than one US dollar).  Some days, other drivers stole my clients.  I am old, so I can’t compete with those young motorcycle drivers.  When Hien was in elementary school, at times I ran out of money and had to borrow loans with interest at 12% a month for which I worked days and nights to pay off.”

 Starting in 9th grade, Hien sold iced tea in the market, washed dishes, carried water for food vendors, etc.  In preparation for the college entrance exams, Hien had to study all by herself.  She borrowed notebooks and textbooks from friends.  Kind friends helped her with difficult subjects or lessons.  When friends were not sure of certain subjects, they would solicit their teachers’ help and then relay the answers back to Hien.  In addition, Hien owed her learning progresses to many kind and generous teachers such as those at Chu Van An school. Mr. Cuong, a Mathematics teacher, and Ms. Tuyet, the core teacher of her senior class 12A1, were two who were of great help to Hien.  Many teachers tutored Hien at their home free of charge. But it was Mr. Ngon who helped Hien the most. Mr. Ngon lived in the same neighborhood as Hien and taught her English plus other subjects since 7th grade.  Many times he even helped her financially.

 Hien’s father recalled a sad memory.  When Hien was only a year old, due to an illness, she lost the sight in one eye.  Now, Hien has decided to study ophthalmology at The Medical School of Hue.  She said, “This is my dream ever since I was a little girl.  In becoming an ophthalmologist, I might be able to fix my own eye and at the same time help other less fortunate children.”

 Hien’s savings from baby-sitting, plus other odd jobs, is about 1.2 million dongs (80 US dollars) which is only enough for one term. This does not deter Hien’s determination.  She vows to find jobs to pay for subsequent terms.  Her father said, “I want her to continue her education by all means.  I will work longer hours and if needed, I will get more loans even at high interest rates...”  

 Since Hien’s mother passed away, their small house had been a desolate place.  Now it is filled with happiness and, at the same time, uncertainty as Hien is entering a new chapter in her life -- a new life at The Medical School of Hue.

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Note:  In the past, VHI has provided Hien with 2-year scholarships through the care of Mr. Ngon. VHI asks for your help to continue to support Hien in her future endeavors.

 

    Trương Phan Thu Hiền did go to medical school in Huế, thanks to many sponsors
                 in Vietnam and abroad, and she will graduate in a couple of years.