A Small Classroom – A Big Dream
Amid the makeshift boarding houses of District 2, Thu Duc City, where migrant worker families struggle to make a living, there exists a special classroom.. The class originated from the 'Blue Shirt Tutors' initiative by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union, aimed at providing supplementary education for the children of workers during the three-month summer break. However, recognizing the necessity of the class for local children, MSD United Way Vietnam partnered with the Youth Workers Support Center (YEAC) to maintain the class throughout the school year.
Most of the students in the class are migrant children who face significant barriers to accessing education due to a lack of legal documents or their families’ inability to afford transportation. Some have received birth certificate support from MSD United Way Vietnam but are still unable to attend school due to being over the age limit for enrollment or because schools are too far away. Others struggle to keep up with their grade-level curriculum due to challenging personal circumstances. Despite 38 different backgrounds, they all share the same dream: to learn, to go to school, and to build a better future.
The Journey of Enlightening Knowledge
A typical story is that of L.V.N., who, along with four younger siblings, lives in a three-generation household in Thao Dien Ward. Their grandparents and mother all work as cleaners, and no one in the family is literate. Without a birth certificate from a young age, the children have aged out of the appropriate grade levels for public schools. Despite their strong desire to study, public schools refused to admit them due to their age, while private schools were too expensive. Charity schools were located too far away, making education seem out of reach.
Just when it seemed that all doors had closed, the classroom the volunteer tutoring class 'Writing the Future' was established right within their family’s boarding house. Though modest in size, the classroom brought newfound hope. Here, L.V.N. and their siblings began learning their very first letters. Their writing was clumsy and unsteady, but each word and every basic math equation became the building blocks of a different future—a future where they could read, write, learn, and gradually rise above their circumstances.
A United Community – A New Chapter Unfolds
With the companionship and support of the community, 38 children have received continuous assistance in:
- Books, school supplies, and learning materials for the children.
- Nutritious meals for the children during each class throughout the school year.
- Ensuring the classroom operates throughout the entire year instead of just the three summer months.
This support package not only sustains the classroom in the long run but also inspires both the volunteers and the children to continue their journey of learning and knowledge.
The Path to the Future
This program is more than just supporting volunteer classes—it is a place where hope is nurtured and life-changing opportunities are created for underprivileged children. With the companionship of MSD United Way Vietnam, its partners, and the entire community, new chapters in these children's lives are being written—not only with words but also with belief and hope.
Together, let's keep writing new chapters for underprivileged children—because every child deserves a fair education!
