Le Huu Do, a student of class 11B2 at Phan Ngoc Hien High School in Nam Can District, Ca Mau Province, goes to school by bicycle every day. His house is about 5km from school, so on the way to school, he takes the opportunity to bring 8 boxes to store leftover rice from people's houses along the road.

After school, on the way home, Do stops by to empty the bins of dregs to feed the pigs and chickens. Besides collecting rice dregs, Do also collects bottles, cans, and cardboard boxes to sell to earn money for school.

Ms. Le Thi Cam Van, the homeroom teacher, said that every day when Do goes to school, he brings his "tools" to collect rice water that people throw away to feed the pigs. In addition, he also collects plastic bottles to sell to earn money for school.

"Since learning about my pitiful situation, my friends at school have collected discarded plastic bottles for Do to sell.

"He does not feel inferior or self-conscious about his poverty, but works hard and studies hard. My teachers and I often show Do's diligence and hard work to students so that they can sympathize and strive to excel in all circumstances," said Ms. Van.

Previously, in October 2024, Ms. Tran Thi Dong (teacher at Phan Ngoc Hien High School) saw a "strange" bicycle parked in the school grounds. She investigated and posted on Tiktok a scene of the school's students having to ride bicycles to transport dregs and collect scrap to earn money.

"I'm not trying to attract views, but I see that he has extraordinary determination, similar to the image of me when I was young, having to sell and go to school at the same time. I want to share his story so that everyone can know and sympathize with him, and help him," Ms. Dong was moved and choked up as she recounted the story of her young student.

Mr. Le Thanh Tam (73 years old, Tan An Tay commune, Ngoc Hien district, Ca Mau province) - said that his family has 3 children, Do is the youngest son. Before, when he was still healthy, he also went fishing in the river to earn money to pay for his children's education.

"For the past few years, my legs have been sick and weak, so I can't walk much. All the housework is done by my youngest child. Do and his wife are both independent and have their own families. They are both poor, so they can't help much.

Seeing my child having to go to school and also have to carry the dregs home to raise pigs and collect scrap metal to earn money to feed the family, I feel sorry for him. Now it's too hard, and my child wants to go to school, so I have to grit my teeth and endure it," Mr. Tam said.

Le Huu Do said his family's situation is difficult, his parents are old and can't carry scrap, so he wants to help his parents, and collect scrap, every penny he can earn.

"Carrying dirt is also heavy, cycling against the wind sometimes makes me want to lift the bike up, but I'm used to it because I ride it so often.

My schoolmates are very nice. When they finish drinking water and have any empty bottles left, they come to me to give them to me. I think I'm poor so there's nothing to worry about. I'm just afraid that my parents will get weaker and weaker and I won't be able to go to school anymore," Huu Do shared.