A DREAM TO BECOME A YOUTH LEADER
Ly was a little Muong ethnic girl in a mountainous village in Northern Vietnam when she was enrolled in World Vision’s sponsorship program in 2006.
“I didn’t know how to read and write as I was at kindergarten. When I did the New Year greetings’ card to my sponsor, my teacher wrote the card for me,” recalled Ly.
Her family struggled with poverty, her father worked as a bricklayer in the capital city of Hanoi. He sometimes needed to take time to go to the hospital for mental illness treatment.
Her mother worked in the field, went to the forest, raised buffalos, chickens, ducks, and took care of the girl and her older brother in their hometown in Lang Chanh, Thanh Hoa.
The girl is now a 10th grader at a high school. Many changes have come to her and her family since she became a sponsored child.
As a registered child supported by World Vision Vietnam, she has participated and benefited from diverse activities such as beautiful indoor/outdoor toys in the kindergarten; school library in primary school.
When Ly started secondary school, Ly became a member of the core group of children’s club where she could openly express opinions and join group discussion in class, instead of listening passively, also got trained on life values and skills as well.
“The happiest time was when I joined the provincial forum for children. I had a chance to visit Thanh Hoa city, gain new knowledge and make friends with other fellows who come from other parts in the province,” she added.
Her family’s living conditions have improved also. “When Ly comes home from school, she usually helps parents breeding chicken, duck, buffalo, cooking, preparing meals, fetching firewood in the forest, or working in the field. We have had more money to buy rice, clothes, and learning aid for Ly and her brother,” shared the mother.
Ly spends the whole week at her high school because it is the only one based in her district and far from her home. She is an excellent student and an active member of her school’s English club as she believes it offers her many chances for her future.
In the community, Ly has joyfully attended many events such as birthday parties for local children, International Children’s Day June 1st, Luna New Year and other raising awareness sessions on child-related issues including the prevention of children from injury, accident, and drowning.
“I dream to become a good leader of Youth Union so that I can conduct many activities to support the youth and poor children, particularly children in the remote and mountainous areas,” said Ly.
“I’m so happy that as a sponsored child, I have grown up along with the work of World Vision in my hometown. The organization has brought joy and change to me and my friends. I have had a chance to join World Vison’s activities, learn great knowledge about my hometown Thanh Hoa as well as the country Switzerland where my lovely sponsor lives”.