When I first saw this May 24, 2014 article in the New York Times, my mind flashed back to the recent news of the two hundred schoolgirls kidnapped from their public school in Chibok, Nigeria, and to another related tragedy from a couple of years earlier—the near-death shooting of another schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, in Pakistan. Those two horrific incidents had shocked the international community into the stark realization that even now, in the 21st century, shameful injustice and inequality still abound for young women in many parts of the world, especially in regards to education.
It makes this story from current-day Vietnam all the more noteworthy, not just because of its rare happy ending, but also because it highlights yet another root cause of this widespread, complex problem: pure and simple economics—the immediate urgency of day-to-day survival versus the long-term benefits of education. In this happy graduation season, I share with you the story of this remarkable young woman who made a pivotal choice for her own life, rose above her family conditions, and through sheer perseverance, attained the impossible.
Click here to read.
What a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Lynne. It’s hard not to be inspired by such a remarkable young woman.
Thanks C. L. Hoang for sharing such a simple but remarkable story. I cannot hold my tears, the true Vietnamese society where both young male and female from poor families face difficulties to excel in their education for better futures.
It is a very touching and inspiring story. I am so glad you enjoyed it, Tina.