Just a few months ago, Duc came within weeks of abandoning his dream of earning a university degree. Then a scholarship arrived — and Duc is now on course to become the first person in his family to earn a college degree.
Duc is a dedicated and student. In April 2025, he received a certificate naming him an Outstanding Student of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Technology — a recognition awarded to the top-performing scholars. It was one of his proudest moments, but also painful: just a few weeks earlier, he had learned that his mother had been diagnosed with a renal tumor. In addition to the emotional strain, her illness meant she would no longer be able to work as much — and that Duc might not be able to afford to continue his hard-earned studies.
“I had lost my confidence, my sense of direction. I didn’t know if I could keep going on this path.”
Duc’s family has very little. His father passed away in 2021, leaving Duc and his mother with no safety net. For the past three years, she has earned what she can by selling lottery tickets on the streets of her hometown in Phan Thiet — three hundred tickets a day for roughly $300 a month. Combined with his grandfather’s small income from farming and Duc’s earnings from part-time jobs, the family had just enough to send him to university.
“My mother became the pillar of the family — the only hope, the only place I lean on to keep going, day by day.”
Without his mother’s income, Duc was weeks away from dropping out. He learned about Saigon Children’s Charity, our partner in Vietnam, which has provided scholarships to disadvantaged children for over 30 years. Duc applied and was accepted into their Post-High School scholarship program for the 2025–2026 academic year — his fourth and final year. The $600 scholarship covers his tuition, monthly food allowance, and dormitory costs for the full year.
“I was truly moved to tears. I hadn’t thought that anyone would be looking out for someone in my situation.”
Since receiving the scholarship, Duc has been able to continue his studies and visit his mother more often — a relief for both of them.
Duc’s mother’s health remains uncertain — the tumor has been treated, but recovery is slow, and the family’s debt from bank loans and relatives has not diminished. Yet there is reason for optimism: Duc is expected to graduate at the end of this school year [month TBD]. A mechanical engineering degree, in the industrial zones of Binh Duong where he plans to work, opens the door to a starting salary roughly double what the family has been living on.
“My one goal now is to get a stable job and take care of my mom. Then, when I have the means, I want to come back and help other students who are where I was. I know what it feels like to be on the edge, and to have someone reach out a hand.”
