Student Stories

Featured below are real stories of some of our current scholarship recipients. All of our students share a similar story: their education and future are in danger due to extreme financial hardships brought by factors that were beyond their control. Oftentimes, it is the death of one or both parents, childhood illness that rendered them disabled, or simply having been born into a family below the poverty line.

The names and photos below have been changed to protect the students’ identities.

Ngan Nguyen

9th grader | Quang Nam, Vietnam

Ngan is a hardworking student who excels in biology and whose dream is to attend high school and college. Funding her education has been difficult since the passing of her father, chronic hospitalization of her mother, and mental illness of her brother. Ngan not only spends her time studying, but also cooks, cleans, and cares for her family’s cow. Her family lives below the poverty line. Fund for Dreams has chosen to sponsor Ngan to ensure she will not be forced to leave school to provide financial support for her family.

Nhan Huynh

9th grader | Quang Nam, Vietnam

Nhan is a highly intelligent student with a passion for geography. She comes from a family of farmers, has three younger sisters, and lives near the poverty line. Winning 1st place in a geography competition in her hometown fostered her dream of graduating from college and becoming a geography teacher. For this reason, Fund for Dreams chose to sponsor Nhan. She shows great promise and our funding helps assure that she will be able to achieve this dream and be an inspiration to her younger siblings.

My Tran

7th grader | Quang Nam, Vietnam

My is a motivated young student with a passion for helping other achieve literacy. Her dream is to become a teacher to help members of her community learn how to read and write. Her mother single-handedly supports her family by working as a farmer while her father is unable to work due to a rare, incurable disease. A situation like My’s leaves her family on the brink of financial collapse as they already live close to the poverty line. It is for this reason that Fund for Dreams selected My for sponsorship. By becoming a literacy teacher, she will not only help to elevate herself and her family, her teachings will have a positive ripple effect in her community.

Ti Nguyen

8th grader | Quang Nam, Vietnam

Ti is a promising young student with a good head on his shoulders. He dreams of becoming a policeman to eliminate crime and protect people in his community. After his parents’ divorce, Ti, along with his mother, older brother, and younger sister have been living near the poverty line. His older brother was forced to leave school after 9th grade in search of work to support the family. It is for this reason that Fund for Dreams selected Ti for sponsorship. Without financial support, he too would have to leave school and never achieve his dream.

Lien Huynh

8th grader | Quang Nam, Vietnam

Lien is a bright young lady whose greatest hope is to attend high school and college. The recent deaths her father and two brother have made this dream difficult to achieve as not only has she had to endure the loss of immediate family members, it has also brought her surviving family well below the poverty line. For this reason, Fund for Dreams is sponsoring Lien. With funding and mentorship, Lien can continue to attend school and achieve her dream of graduation and higher education.

An Nguyen

9th grader | Quang Nam, Vietnam

An is a hardworking student whose dream is to attend vocational school to become an electrician and support his family. After his father’s passing in 2011, An along with his mother and brother have been reduced to living below the poverty line. For this reason, Fund for Dreams has selected An for sponsorship. In difficult cases like these, An would be forced to leave school to help support his family.