Until now, Dr. H'Linh Hmok (1987), working at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), still feels lucky because as a child she often had to go to school hungry. It was this hardship that forged her dream and strong determination to escape poverty.

Never had new clothes to wear on the first day of school

Born into a family of four children in Ea Drang town (Ea H'leo, Dak Lak), H'Linh's childhood years were "attached" to poverty. However, H'Linh never wanted to drop out of school.

Having no money to buy notebooks, H'Linh asked for unfinished notebooks from her neighbors, collected the blank pages and sewed them into notebooks. During her years of school, H'Linh never had new clothes to wear on the first day of school.

When she was in 6th grade, during the summer, she asked to pull weeds, collect coffee beans, and wash dishes for a pho restaurant to earn money to buy books and pens. No matter what she did, H'Linh always took the opportunity to study.

“When I was in primary and secondary school, I lacked everything, but I did not feel miserable. I remember on November 20, knowing my situation, some teachers even gave me new notebooks and words of encouragement. Those actions helped me feel the love of my teachers, which motivated me to try harder every day,” she recalled.

Dr. H'Linh Hmok is working at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Photo: NVCC

Thanks to her efforts in studying, H'Linh passed the entrance exam to N'Trang Long Ethnic Boarding High School. The time at this school "opened up a new life" for H'Linh. Here, the Ede girl did not have to pay for her tuition, and was also subsidized with 160,000 VND/month.

“I am extremely grateful for the years of studying at this school. Here, I no longer have to worry about food or lack of books. It was the school that ignited in me a burning desire for a brighter future. It was from here that I realized that education is the shortest path out of poverty.”

Having a strong point in Physics, having won the provincial excellent student award in this subject, H'Linh then determined to take the exam and was admitted to the Physics Pedagogy Department of Tay Nguyen University. With excellent academic achievements, after 1 semester, H'Linh Hmok was awarded a full scholarship for 6 years by the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Education and Training) to study foreign languages ​​and major in Physics at the University of La Habana (Cuba).

The opportunity came unexpectedly but also at the time when her father suddenly passed away. H'Linh's family was in extremely difficult circumstances at that time. The 19-year-old girl did not know how to arrange money to apply for studying abroad.

“That summer, I worked as a hired weeder in coffee plantations for 20,000 VND/day. Meanwhile, just translating documents into Spanish cost several million VND. I cried in despair because I didn’t know what to do. But then, I thought of my parents - who, despite their poor circumstances, always emphasized education - and I understood that I couldn’t give up my dream,” Dr. H'Linh Hmok recalled.

Dr. H'Linh Hmok. Photo: NVCC

After that, H'Linh told her mother about asking her to borrow some money to go to the city. With that small amount of money, H'Linh took a bus 100km to Buon Ma Thuot city, brought her admission notice, and "knocked on the door" of the Department of Education and Training and the Provincial People's Committee to ask for help.

Knowing H'Linh's situation, Ms. Mai Hoa Nie K'Dam - then Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - raised 10 million VND to support H'Linh in her study abroad application. This was a source of encouragement for H'Linh to continue pursuing her dream.

Starting point does not determine one's future.

In October 2006, H'Linh arrived in Cuba to study Physics at the University of Havana - the only school offering a bachelor's degree in Physics in the country at that time.

“The students studying Physics here are all very good. Many have won high prizes in national and international physics competitions, or are children of PhDs in Physics, while I was still struggling to get used to Spanish,” H'Linh Hmok recalled.

Although studying both languages ​​and majors was difficult, thanks to the competitive environment, the Vietnamese girl gradually improved her abilities and began to participate in research and write scientific articles.

In 2012, H'Linh graduated with a degree of Distinction. From her undergraduate thesis, she had 2 articles published in national and international journals. After that, she continued to receive a full scholarship from the National Council for Science and Technology of Mexico to study for a master's and doctoral degree at the Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE) and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (CNYN-UNAM).

H'Linh successfully defended her doctoral thesis in Mexico in May 2019. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, with an academic title equivalent to associate professor.

Since her father's death was related to lead toxicity, an important part of her later research, Dr. H'Linh Hmok focused on the research and development of lead-free ferroics and multiferroics materials. This is a research direction aimed at minimizing the toxic effects of this metal on human health and the environment, especially in areas such as electronic devices and smart sensors.

H'Linh graduated with a PhD in Mexico in 2019. Photo: NVCC

After nearly 20 years of studying and working abroad, Dr. H'Linh Hmok shared, "No matter how far I go, my roots are always where I always turn to." Therefore, the wish of the Central Highlands girl is to soon return to Vietnam, using her knowledge and experience to spread values ​​to the community.

“I hope that through my story, I can inspire young people who are facing difficult circumstances. Believe that education is the key to opening the door to changing their destiny.

“The starting point does not determine the future of each person. No matter where you start, you can still reach great things, as long as you proactively seek opportunities, commit and persevere. Every small step today is the foundation for a brighter and better future,” Dr. H'Linh Hmok shared.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tu-co-be-rua-bat-o-quan-pho-thanh-tien-si-vat-ly-noi-tieng-troi-tay-2389049.html