Touching thank-you message from a Khmer student to the "For the Youth of Highland and Island Regions" Fund.

On October 3rd, at Hong Ha Secondary and High School (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City), the Fund for Youth in Highland and Island Regions organized a meeting for students at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year and awarded scholarships to ethnic minority and island students who are receiving scholarships from the two projects "Nurturing Future Generations" and "Supporting Students".

The most valuable thing is having the opportunity to go to school.

At the program, many delegates were moved by the emotional speech of a Khmer student from An Giang province - Chau Soc Khang, a 12th-grade student from Nam Viet Secondary and High School (Tay Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City). He is one of the students who received a scholarship from the "For Youth in Highland and Island Regions" Fund.

Khang said: "I was born and raised in a rural area of ​​An Giang province that still faces many difficulties. My childhood was filled with hardships, and the journey to school was long and arduous. But my family always tried to give me the most precious thing: the opportunity to go to school and to dream."

Khang said: "I understand that I can't choose where I'm born, but I can choose how I move forward. Therefore, I choose to study, to strive, and not let circumstances determine my future. I want to turn difficulties into motivation to rise above them, so that later I can do good things for my family, my hometown, and my community. The greatest luck on that journey is that I have become a student of the Fund for Youth in Highland and Island Regions and to study at Nam Viet School."

For me, "Nurturing the Future" is a beautiful image. Even a tiny seedling, if cared for with sunlight, love, and faith, will one day grow. We are the same. What the Foundation gives us is not just material support, but also an opportunity and the belief that children in disadvantaged rural areas still have the right to hope and can go far through their own efforts.

Sóc Khang expressed his gratitude to Ms. Truong My Hoa, Ms. Phan Thi Anh Hoang - Principal of Nam Viet School, and all the kind-hearted benefactors who have shown their generosity towards him and his friends.

"I hope that one day, when I'm capable enough, I can also reach out and help another child, giving them an opportunity, encouragement, and faith, just as I once received. Because I believe that an opportunity can change a future; faith can keep a person from giving up; and love can stay with a person for a lifetime. If today I am a 'future sprout,' I promise to strive to grow up well so that one day I can repay my family, do good for my homeland, and give back what I have received," Soc Khang expressed.

Nurturing many dreams

The program, which includes a gathering of students at the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year and the awarding of scholarships to ethnic minority and coastal/island students receiving scholarships from the two projects "Nurturing Future Generations" and "Supporting Students," is an opportunity to encourage and motivate the students' learning spirit, while strengthening the bond between the Foundation, schools, sponsors, students, and their families. Through these two projects, the Foundation hopes to continue contributing to the training of young human resources for ethnic minority and coastal/island regions, creating a foundation for them to grow and return to contribute to their homeland, community, and country.

According to the report of the Fund for Youth in Highland and Island Regions, from the 2009-2010 school year to the 2026-2027 school year, the "Nurturing the Future" project has supported 721 students from 32 ethnic groups and 45 provinces and cities (according to the old administrative units) to study at 22 secondary and high schools in Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho , with a total funding of nearly 450 billion VND. Among these, there are 388 ethnic minority students and 333 students from coastal and island regions.

Specifically for the 2026-2027 school year, five secondary and high schools – Hong Ha, Nam Viet, Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Phan Chu Trinh, and Tran Nhan Tong – will continue to provide scholarships to 26 new students from seven provinces and cities to study as boarding students in Ho Chi Minh City. The total number of students currently receiving scholarships from the project is 195.

With the "Student Support" project, by the 2026-2027 academic year, the project had provided scholarships to 554 students from 38 ethnic groups and 49 provinces and cities (former administrative units), with a total funding of over 51 billion VND. Of these, 347 students were children of ethnic minorities and 207 were children of maritime law enforcement personnel and fishermen in coastal and island areas.

Speaking at the program, Ms. Dang Ngoc Bich - Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Principal of Phan Chu Trinh Primary, Secondary, and High School in Di An - said: The school, together with the Foundation, has successfully implemented the "Nurturing Future Generations" project. For the 2026-2027 school year, the school will accept 3 students from grades 10 to 12, bringing the total number of students being sponsored at the school to 77. The school currently has the largest number of students sponsored by the Foundation.

Ms. Ngoc Bich emotionally shared: "I hope you all always remember one thing: circumstances may be where we start, but they don't determine where we end up. You have been given opportunities, so cherish and take advantage of them. Study using your own abilities, study hard, and take exams honestly. Cherish every day you come to school and don't easily give up in the face of difficulties. Not all of you will become the best students. Everyone has different abilities, circumstances, and dreams. But the important thing is that every day, you strive to become a better version of yourselves than you were yesterday."

Ms. Truong My Hoa - former Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, former Vice President of Vietnam, former President of the Vietnam Women's Union, President of the Fund for Youth in Highland and Island Regions, and Head of the "For the Beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa" Club, shared: "Through the children's sharing, we can see their affection and gratitude for their teachers and those who have accompanied and helped them. In particular, they all share a common wish: that when they grow up, they will become 'extended arms' of the Fund, continuing to contribute to the training of human resources for the country. The affection of the sponsors for the children is also a very precious and valuable aspect. And that beauty belongs to all of us: the sponsors, the schools, the teachers, the delegates, and the organizations that have accompanied the Fund throughout this journey."

Ms. Truong My Hoa addressed the students: "The older generation dedicated themselves and made sacrifices for the country's peace and independence, and for today's young generation to have the opportunity to study and develop. But in this new era, you will be the ones to continue their legacy. In about 20 years, when the country enters a new stage of development, those of you sitting here today will become the masters of the nation. Therefore, your responsibility to study is much greater. You need to quickly absorb new knowledge, master technology, and cultivate yourselves to become capable citizens, contributing to the country's ever-increasing development. As someone who has gone before, I hope you will study hard, train well, and prepare yourselves with a solid foundation to continue the work of your ancestors."

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/xuc-dong-loi-cam-on-cua-cau-hoc-tro-nguoi-khmer-gui-den-quy-vi-tuoi-tre-vung-cao-va-hai-dao-238261003110342789.htm