Tran Thi Diem (right) (photo: Tuoi Tre)

But worsening health and poverty is now undermining this achievement against all odds.

The 18-year-old girl from the southern province of Binh Dinh, a student at the HCM City Economics University, has suffered from heart disease since she was very young. Her father died when she was just five years old, and her family moved to Lam Dong Province’s Bao Loc Commune.

Her mother passed away last year. It was her mother’s earnings and savings that helped treat her heart problem when living in Lam Dong. Now that money has run out.

After she passed the univeristy entrance exams, she came to HCM City and rented a room to live in. With VND600,000 (US$33.70) per month sent by her uncles and aunts in the provinces of Lam Dong and Binh Dinh, Diem paid her rent and met daily expenses. To pay her school fees, she earned money as a tutor in the evenings.

Her classmates say Diem is diligent and friendly and finds learning a lot of fun.

Unluckily, Diem’s health has worsened steadily. Now she does not know whether she can continue tutoring anymore and is worried about the money she would need to treat her heart condition in the coming time.

Her uncles and aunts’ families cannot afford to pay her treatment costs because they have lost a lot of their belongings to the recent storms and are in dire straits themselves.

Diem’s classmates and the university’s Student Support Association have called for help from schoolmates, but what help she has received only meets part of her needs.

Nguyen Don Phu Loc, a 10th grader at the Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, has suffered from bone cancer for the last two years.

Surgery has prevented him from walking, running or playing football, which he likes to do very much.

Devastated, he sank into deep despondency, but the steadfast support of his classmates and teachers helped him recoup. He has since obtained good results at school.

“I will go to university and become an IT engineer because the career is suited to my current situation,” he said.

A new television programme seeks to highlight the plight of youngsters like Diem and Loc.

With You to School is a collaborative effort by HCM City’s Department of Education and Training (DoET), the Sai Gon Film Production Co Ltd, and Viet Nam Tin Nghia Commercial Joint Stock Bank.

Starting on Monday on HTV9, it will present the stories of disadvantaged students with good academic results as well as ethnic minority students introduced by the Student Association and call for financial assistance from individuals, groups and companies.

The 52-episode programme, which will air for 10 minutes a week every Monday, will also call for investment in building and upgrading as well as buying equipment for schools in the city’s rural areas.

Huynh Cong Minh, head of the DoET, said the programme would add to the city’s ongoing efforts to support students in need.

Tran Thi Kim Thanh, deputy head of the department, said she hoped that the programme would help a great number of disadvantaged students realise their hopes in life.

She said the programme would demonstrate to the disadvantaged students that many people are ready to open their arms to help and drive home the message that no situation is hopeless.

Le Anh Tai, general director of the Viet Nam Tin Nghia Bank, said, “Only learning can help them escape poverty and have a bright future.”

VNN/VNS