The next item on the itinerary was visiting some of the families we might be sponsoring, we first arrived at the house of 18-year-old Nguyen Thi Duyen and her two sisters, Nguyen Thi Ouyen, 20 and Nguyen Thi Hien, 15 who lived in the province . Unfortunately, we missed the sisters as they were still in school. Surrounded by cornfields, we imagined how the place would look like come nightfall – pitch dark.
Speaking with the parents of the girls was an emotional affair. Team PHF had assembled a small bag of little gifts of clementines, candy and snacks, which we presented it to the father. As the grown man expressed his gratitude to this group of visitors who hailed from a foreign land, his eyes welled up with tears.
After a little chat with the couple, we realised that all the 39-year-old mother dreamt of, is a better life for her girls. A recipient of the HSCV rice distribution programme as well as educational scholarships for two of her three daughters, she is undoubtedly grateful to the support her family has received. A further sharing revealed that all she dreams of is to have more medical support for herself so that she can continue to be there for her daughters.
We realise that there are so many more of such families with similar situations in the region. We are so encouraged that in the face of such adversity these families still look forward to the future, and are all working hard to keep their children in school and not giving up education.
