Scholarships
Thanks to our sponsors, Smile Outreach has been able to provide ongoing scholarships to disadvantaged children.
Due to their families financial situation, these children would typically need to leave school at an early age to find work in order to help support their families. These scholarships will provide financial assistance of upto 4 Million Dong per child, per year (around $256AUD). This will enable the struggling family to keep the child in school and receive the tuition, books and stationary they need to graduate year 12 and enable them to find ongoing education or employment.
"I ASPIRE TO BECOME A 'TEACHER'"
My initial encounter with Nguyen Thi Dieu Hien, during the first interview for a scholarship, left a strong impression on me. She appeared petite in stature but exuded a sense of resilience. After a brief conversation, she relaxed and smiled when I asked about her dreams.
Hien is currently in the 8th grade and is the eldest of three siblings in her family. Her father works as a laborer with an unstable income, while her mother is a factory worker. The combined monthly income of the couple is around 7 million Vietnamese Dong, barely sufficient to cover the living expenses of their family of five. Hien's home is also quite small and inconvenient.
During her early years, Hien used to stay at home with her grandmother, who didn't allow her to attend school. Due to these circumstances, Hien started her formal education three years later than most children. However, she managed to consistently achieve a "Good" academic performance for seven consecutive years. Hien aspires to become a teacher and has pledged to excel in her studies to support her parents in the future. In addition to her schoolwork, she also assists her parents with household chores and takes care of her younger siblings.
We hope that the contributions from kind-hearted individuals sent to the Smile Outreach Foundation, including a portion designated for the "Viet Quang Scholarship Fund," will help Hien reach her dream.