A student in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam always carries with him scrap metal and leftover food while riding his bicycle home from school.

Every day, 11th-grade student Le Huu Do rides his bicycle home from school carrying containers of leftover food and bags of scrap metal.

His journey, which spans five kilometers from Ngoc Hien District to Nam Can District in Ca Mau Province, has drawn admiration for his resilience and commitment to education.

Do, a student at Phan Ngoc Hien High School, brings along eight containers each morning to collect discarded food from households along the road.

After school, he gathers leftovers to feed his family's pigs and chickens while also picking up plastic bottles, cans, and cardboard to sell.

The money he earns helps cover his education expenses and family meals.

His head teacher, Le Thi Cam Van, said Do’s classmates, upon learning of his struggles, have started saving empty bottles for him to sell.

Teachers often share his story as an example of perseverance, encouraging other students to overcome their own challenges.

In October 2024, teacher Tran Thi Dong noticed a bicycle parked in the schoolyard, loaded with tools for collecting food and scrap metal. She recorded a video and posted it on TikTok, hoping to highlight his determination.

“I didn’t post it for views,” Dong said. “I saw his perseverance and thought of my own childhood when I had to sell things while going to school. I wanted people to understand and offer help."

Do’s father, 73-year-old Le Thanh Tam, said he used to support the family by fishing, but his declining health has left him unable to work. With two older siblings also struggling financially, Do has taken on much of the household burden.

He said it is heartbreaking to see his son carrying heavy loads of food scrap metal.

Despite the physical strain, Do remains determined to continue his education.

He has grown used to riding against strong winds and hauling food containers over narrow cau khi (monkey bridges), which are bamboo or wooden walkways across small streams.

“Carrying the leftover food is heavy, and riding against the wind sometimes makes me want to stop, but I’m used to it,” Do said. 

“My classmates are kind. When they finish drinking, they give me their empty bottles. I come from a poor family, but I don’t feel ashamed. My only worry is that my parents will grow weaker, and I might not be able to go to school anymore.”

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