A scholarship program run by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper recently concluded with over 1,600 grants presented to poor college students in their first year.

The annual program, titled “Tiep suc den truong” (Giving Strength to Students), now in its 13th year, has run over the last two months and offered 1,633 scholarships in total to poor students throughout the country.

Initially targeting 1,500 scholarships, the program received huge support from donors who are the newspaper’s readers and local organizations and companies.

The support helped increase the amount of money for each scholarship from VND5 million (US$223) in previous years to VND7 million ($313) this year.

Besides cash, several students also received gifts like laptops, bicycles, motorbikes or part-time jobs from sponsors.

“When delivering love, we will receive trust,” Tang Huu Phong, editor-in-chief of Tuoi Tre, said in a speech at the scholarship presentation ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday. “The trust we get is the students’ determination to put their heart into studying in order to become helpful and responsible people in society.”

“That trust comes true when we see those who received the scholarships in previous years became donors for this year’s program,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vu Van Binh, deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper, said though the scholarships are not worth much, the students should consider them an encouragement to overcome difficulty on their path of study.

Nguyen Duc Quang Nhat, from the central province of Quang Tri, emotionally called the full scholarship he received from ECO Pharma Joint Stock Company to study at the Hue College of Medicine and Pharmacy a “miracle.”

Nhat, one of the students in the most underprivileged circumstances, was orphaned and has an elder sister suffering cerebral palsy due to Agent Orange.

“I am stunned,” Nhat said.

Meanwhile, Bui Trung Hieu from the Hanoi University of Science and Technology said he has not got over the overwhelming feeling of seeing so many people helping him to make his dream of studying come true.

“Receiving the scholarship, I understand that I’m joining a relay race in which I have to try my best so that one day I can help future students,” he said. “The love of the sponsors and Tuoi Tre readers has reminded me not to stop trying for a brighter future.”

“The scholarships have been a big encouragement for me to step through the university door,” Doang Thi Minh Tho from Can Tho University said. “I’ll try to be a good teacher so that I can educate future generations as a way to repay the donors who helped me.”

Nguyen Phu Tai, father of Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, one of the scholarship recipients, movingly admitted that VND7 million is a very big amount to his family.

“I told my daughter to study as well as possible to repay the love of people and to thank them,” he said.

Below is a series of photos from the scholarship presentation ceremonies in several cities and provinces:

Students receive scholarships at the ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Phan Luong Cam, late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet's wife, and Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (L) offer a scholarship to a student at the ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Dao Chau Huong from the southern province of Binh Duong emotionally shares her story of overcoming difficulties at the scholarship presentation ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An audience member bursts into tears listening to the student’s moving story. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Tran Thi Xuan carries her younger brother Tran Tuan Anh on her back to the stage of the scholarship presentation ceremony in Hanoi. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A volunteer helps a disabled student receive scholarships in the north-central province of Nghe An. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Orphan Dang Thi Huyen Trang could not help crying when watching a documentary Tuoi Tre made on her family. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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